On Oct. 10, Weber State University was alerted to graffiti in the parking lot of the Dee Events Center. A stop sign in the parking lot was defiled with the N-word and the signature of the vandal.

With this being the third incident of discriminatory graffiti in three weeks and the fourth incident of 2023, WSU administration took this incident seriously. The university held an open-discussion meeting on Oct. 13 to discuss the issue.

The meeting, hosted by Jessica Oyler, vice president for Student Access and Success, was held to make the voices of the students heard about the incidents of discrimination, including two swastikas carved on tables, the words “white power” carved into an elevator door and now the N-word being written on a stop sign. None of the vandals have been found, and there is no evidence to suggest that they are connected.

The meeting brought up topics like the treatment of students of color, the progress of campus cultural centers and how the university can do their part. Students brought up their grievances with the university and what they would like to see done.

During the meeting, Oyler introduced the WSU Climate Response Team. This team will be made up of students, staff and faculty and will be in charge of working to react when incidents of discrimination occur on campus. Though the complete role of this team is still under discussion, WSU hopes to roll this program out soon.

Seth Cawley, chief of the WSU Police Department, spoke about how students can report discrimination. If the threat is urgent, WSU Climate Response Team urges students to utilize the Code Purple app to report or call 911. If the threat is not urgent, students can email WSUPD or let an officer or WSU administration know about it.

Students who are affected by the vandalism on campus are encouraged to reach out to WSU resources such as the counseling center. Anyone who encounters more discriminatory vandalism at WSU is strongly advised to report it as soon as you can.