Ole Miss Monkey Noise Scandal: University Chancellor Finally Releases Statement
Ole Miss Video Scandal University Finally Speaks Out ... Decries Racism, Outside Agitators
Published
The University of Mississippi has finally released a statement days after a video of several of its students making monkey noises outside a few Black students' apartment went viral.
In a long social media post, Ole Miss' Chancellor Glenn F. Boyce states that the campus experienced actions that sit in strict opposition to the university's values of dignity and respect.
Message from Chancellor Glenn F. Boyce: Dear university community, Over the last several days, our campus has experienced actions that are diametrically opposed to our values of dignity and respect that we champion, teach and hold ourselves accountable to as an institution of higher learning. All of us work hard to ensure that our students are welcome, safe and valued at our university. This week, members of our team have met and continue to engage with student leaders to listen to their concerns and to understand the impact of these actions across our campus. Our focus has been and will continue to be on supporting our impacted students and ensuring their safety and well-being. Upon learning about the incident on the evening of Friday, Nov. 6, our staff responded quickly, providing care and resources. We met with the students and their families to discuss our processes, and I can confirm that the university investigation is moving forward. We believe in holding students accountable through established processes. Please understand that federal privacy laws limit what we can share about individual students and any disciplinary outcomes. I also want to address the incident of an unaffiliated individual on our campus yesterday, who came here with the sole purpose to disrupt our university community with racist and detestable behavior. As a public institution, we are committed to supporting First Amendment rights. At the same time, we vehemently denounce this person’s behavior, which does not align with our campus values. This individual’s actions were an obvious attempt to antagonize and offend our students, and in the face of bigotry, I am proud of the way our students demonstrated integrity and resolve. The University of Mississippi is an enduring community of welcoming and compassionate faculty, staff and students whose contributions and commitment to our mission and to one another reflect the very best of who we are. Unequivocally, we denounce and condemn actions, whether from inside or outside of our campus, that disparage people because of an aspect of their identity. Students from all backgrounds call our university home, finding opportunities to learn, grow into leaders and build lives of purpose. Every member of our university community deserves to feel safe, to be treated with dignity and respect and to pursue their education without fear of intimidation or harassment. We will continue to uphold these principles and support one another. The University of Mississippi will remain a place where all who come here to learn, teach and serve can move forward with confidence and purpose. Sincerely, Chancellor Glenn F. Boyce @OleMiss
Chancellor Boyce claims university employees work hard to make students feel welcome, safe, and valued ... and notes members of the staff "have met and continue to engage with student leaders to listen to their concerns and to understand the impact of these actions across campus.
He goes on to say staff responded quickly in the aftermath of the incident ... claiming members met with students and families to discuss the university's processes -- and an investigation is moving forward.
While the university plans to hold students accountable, federal privacy laws are going to limit how much it can actually share publicly, Boyce adds.
He also addressed another incident ... seemingly referring to Jake Lang -- an America far-right activist -- coming onto the campus and calling the three students in the Ole Miss video "patriots" while also wearing a gorilla mask near the Black students' apartment.
Boyce says the university supports First Amendment rights ... but also denounces "this person’s behavior, which does not align with our campus values. This individual’s actions were an obvious attempt to antagonize and offend our students, and in the face of bigotry, I am proud of the way our students demonstrated integrity and resolve."
He adds that Ole Miss will always denounce and condemn actions from both within and outside the university community that disparage people because of an aspect of their identity.
As we've reported ... Alaina Kunes and Lauren Mayfield have been repeatedly attacked online over the incident -- with Alaina even dropping out of school amid a flurry of threatening messages.
