Northeast

By Melanie Eversley

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst is reporting a rise in anti-Black incidents on campus.

Among them: an anti-Black email sent to Black-oriented student groups; hate messages sent through the “Contact Us” forms of registered student organizations; a passing motorist yelling racial epithets at Black students.

“Since hearing of these incidents, we have begun a multi-unit collaborative investigation into the hateful acts,” Dr. Nefertiti Walker, vice chancellor and chief diversity officer, wrote in a note to the campus. “We have also created opportunities to support the students directly impacted,” she added in the letter dated Sept. 23.

That support includes administrators following up to address the incidents, staff members working with impacted students and student groups to figure out a healing way forward and a request that hate incidents be formally reported to the school’s Office of Equity and Inclusion.

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