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University of Maine System Responds to Post-Election Hate Speech Reports at Out-of-State Colleges

UMaine Orono President Susan Hunter and other UMaine System presidents are assuring students that acts of hate against students, based on political differences, ethnicity or religious background will not be tolerated and that campus police are prepared to respond.

Hunter’s email to students at the UMS flagship campus was received against a national backdrop of harassment incidents that followed last week’s presidential election. Various news outlets have reported a spate of racist incidents at several schools including the University of Oklahoma and the University of Pennsylvania. Dan Demeritt, a spoeksman for the University of Maine System, says presidents throughout the system are making similar statements reassure students that their rights will be respected on campus.

“Just sending a message over an abundance of concern that everyone feel welcome, that our campuses remain places where civility is valued and even-handed discourse occurs,” says Demeritt. “There was a difficult political time. The long partisan season is now over and we just want to make sure that in this time of unease and uncertainty as we move past the politics that our campuses are welcoming places for everybody.”

The university system’s response followed an appearance on CBS News’ 60 Minutes Sunday in which President-Elect Donald Trump said that he will tell his supporters that are harassing minorities to quote “stop it.” Demeritt SAYS there have been no incidents of harassment reported at any of the UMS campuses.

“Some of the actions that you’re seeing around the country, you know our campus community got the message from our campus leaders that Maine’s universities are safe and welcome places and just encouraging dialog and that people can come together if they have concerns or questions, we have staff and resources in place in all the campuses to address those things,” Demeritt says.

UMaine President Hunter says any “illegal, abusive or uncivil behavior” should be reported to the UMaine police or the Dean of Students Office.