WASHINGTON — The president of the University of Maryland took to Twitter Friday condemning the racist and sexist email sent by a College Park campus student, saying he is shaken and angry.
Wallace Loh released a statement regarding the January 2014 email Thursday night calling the email vulgar. But he used much stronger language during a Twitter chat with students.
“The utter disregard for decency, the racist invective, the mindless disparaging of sexual consent, has left me angry and profoundly saddened,” Loh tweeted.
“There are times when I feel compelled to speak out as a person, and not as a university president. This is one of those times,” he wrote.
He tweeted that he supports the First Amendment right of free speech but that doesn’t mean he must agree with what is said. He asked for students to share their thoughts about the line between free speech and hate speech.
The student who sent the email has not been named and the university has not said whether he would be disciplined. But an investigation is underway.
In the meantime, the student has resigned from his fraternity.
The Kappa Sigma fraternity said in a statement posted on its website that the student was an undergraduate member of its University of Maryland chapter when he sent the email last year. The fraternity said it suspended the student after learning about the email but that he has since submitted a resignation letter.
Kappa Sigma says the Maryland chapter is still working to formally expel him from the fraternity.
Earlier this week, the University System of Maryland-Baltimore County campus confirmed two students were expelled for code-of-conduct violations. The discipline followed an investigation into sexual assault allegations at the campus.
And earlier this week, two University of Oklahoma fraternity members were expelled from the school following the release of video footage showing them singing a racist chant. And a Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter in Seattle is also under investigation for allegations that members shouted slurs at black students marching to protest racism.
There are times when I feel compelled to speak out as a person, and not as a university president. This is one of those times.
— Wallace D. Loh (@presidentloh) March 13, 2015
The January 2014 email that emerged a few days ago has shaken me.
— Wallace D. Loh (@presidentloh) March 13, 2015
The utter disregard for decency, the racist invective, the mindless disparaging of sexual consent, has left me angry and profoundly saddened
— Wallace D. Loh (@presidentloh) March 13, 2015
It has hurt and offended members of our campus family. Including me.
— Wallace D. Loh (@presidentloh) March 13, 2015
Where does free speech and hate speech collide? What should prevail?
— Wallace D. Loh (@presidentloh) March 13, 2015
I see comments on consent. Our campaign to end sexual assault @RuleofThumbUMD promotes a culture of consent. It’s a critical issue. #LohChat
— Wallace D. Loh (@presidentloh) March 13, 2015
The Associated Press and WTOP’s Amanda Iacone contributed to this report.
