Pace Paw Print

Media Credit: robert.thegeakes.co.uk A swastika like this one was drawn on a pull down projector screen late last week on the Pleasantville campus.

Most people at Pace have been painfully aware of the rash of hate crimes and "bias incidents" that have swept the University this year. In general, however, the most serious of these were to be found on the New York City campus.

That is, until last Thursday.

On April 5, Professor Robert Browner was preparing for a class in Wilcox room 32. When he pulled down a projector screen at the front of the class, he discovered a swastika damaging the screen beyond use or repair. It was approximately 10 a.m. when he contacted security. Pace University's security department proceeded to contact the Mount Pleasant Police department who showed up quickly to investigate.

As of right now, the incident has been labeled a hate crime by the Mount Pleasant Police. A hate crime is officially defined as "a crime motivated by prejudice against a social group such as but not limited to race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation."

According to Vincent Beatty, the University Security Director, Pace security will "use all the investigative tools available to assist the police in this investigation and bring it to a successful conclusion." Beatty could not, at this time, be specific about any of those tools that might be available to them. More information might possibly be released in the future.

President Caputo was the first to inform the Pace community about the incident. On Friday morning of last week, the Pace community received an email detailing the event. The President, much like the majority of the University, is appalled at the occurrence of such an event.

"Hateful, despicable incidents like this are not typical of Pace University's traditions or values," he stated in the correspondence. "Even one is one too many."

Anyone with any information is urged to contact campus security by phone at 914-773-3700 or via email at vbeatty@pace.edu or dmacsweeney@pace.edu, Detective Burns at the Mount Pleasant police 914-769-1941, or our affirmative action officer, Lisa Miles at 212-246-1310, lmiles@pace.edu. All communications will be kept strictly confidential.

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