Members of the University community received an email from President Bravman informing them of a recent hate incident on campus on Feb. 10. A swastika “about the size of a quarter” was found on the wall of a bathroom in the Elaine Langone Center (ELC). Bravman urged students to reach out to the Department of Public Safety with any information regarding this incident.

The University’s mission statement reads, “Bucknell fosters a residential, co-curricular environment in which students develop intellectual maturity, personal conviction and strength of character, informed by a deep understanding of different cultures and diverse perspectives. Bucknell seeks to educate our students to serve the common good and to promote justice in ways sensitive to the moral and ethical dimensions of life.”

And yet, this is not the first time in recent years that the University has experienced overt racism or hate incidents. In December 2014, Bravman sent an email regarding hateful and violent content posted on the anonymous social media app Yik Yak; in April 2015, the campus was rocked by the dramatic events surrounding racist and violent remarks made on air by WVBU DJs; and in August 2015 Bravman sent yet another email informing students of a white board displaying racist messages in the Dana Engineering building.

Just last semester, white supremacist flyers and anti-Islamic posters were found in the Grove, with a link leading to a website with further racist propaganda. The Buffalo Valley Regional Police Department attempted to find the person or persons responsible, but no conclusions were made.

“It’s sad to see this because Bucknell is supposed to be a safe space for everyone and highlight their differences, not tear them apart,” Homa Gharagozlou ’20 said.

Bravman noted that he didn’t want to give voice to such acts of hate, though he acknowledged in his Feb. 10 email that he feels “compelled to again call for unity against this anonymous, cowardly display of intolerance.”

The email concluded, “We must stand together, bound by our determination to confront and overcome discrimination and hate speech of any kind.”