Racist word found traced in dust in University of St. Thomas dorm bathroom

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The University of St. Thomas is investigating after students found a racist word traced in the dust on a window in a residence hall bathroom. 

Students discovered the racist word last Wednesday in Ireland Hall and reported it immediately, the university said in a statement. It is not clear when the message was written and how many students saw it before it was reported.

The University of St. Thomas Public Safety is working with the St. Paul Police Department to investigate the incident, including reviewing video footage and interviewing residents of Ireland Hall. 

“Conduct like this demeans the entire campus community and will not be tolerated,” the university said in a statement. “We will continue to aggressively investigate and take strong disciplinary action against individuals who are found to be involved.” 

The university is asking anyone with information on the incident to contact the Public Safety Tips Line at 651-962-TIPS or pstips@stthomas.edu or submit a report to the university’s Online Bias Reporting Site. 

The university is holding several different events Thursday and Friday offering discussion and support for students. More information on those events can be found on the school's website. 

This is not the first time a racist incident has occurred at St. Thomas. Last fall, a freshman found a racist taunt written on his dorm room door. The incident prompted the school to cancel classes in order to host a school-wide dialogue about racism.