A Message to the Smith Community

April 3, 2012

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

I have heard with great concern and distress that a second racist note was put under the door of a student's room in Parsons House. By its very anonymity, such an act breeds distrust and fear. By design, it fosters an atmosphere of racial tension and victimization. In these ways, it is worse than a racist comment or thoughtless remark. It is cowardly and dishonest.

The campus police are conducting a thorough investigation to identify the person responsible for these acts. If necessary, we will employ a handwriting analyst for this purpose.

I know that acts like this do not represent the values that the Smith community holds at its core. The spirited response to the "cashmere and pearls" letter vividly demonstrates the pride many of us take in the diversity of Smith. Nonetheless, these notes show how much work we still have to do as a community, in realizing our vision of a college in which everyone is respected and valued.

Carol T. Christ
President