EC hate: a timeline of recent incidents on campus

Here is a quick timeline to stay up to date on all the recent incidents of hate speech and threatening messages on campus with new updates.

1. Elmhurst police and campus security respond to homophobic and racist slurs written on the mirrors of the 2nd floor Niebuhr Hall bathroom Monday evening, October 21.

2. Additional racial slurs involving the N-word are uncovered Tuesday afternoon, October 22 in the showers of the 2nd floor Niebuhr Hall bathroom, according to student reports.

3. In an email to the campus at 3:39 p.m. Tuesday October 22, President Troy VanAken says Elmhurst College is investigating the two back-to-back hate incidents in Niebuhr Hall and calls the culprits “cowards and bigots.”

4. Shooting threats targeting EC are found by students in the 2nd floor Niebuhr Hall bathroom on Tuesday night, October 22.

5. Classes are still in session Wednesday, October 23, but faculty report numerous absences and receiving multiple emails from students about safety concerns. In a Leader interview, admin defend not closing campus because incidents “did not rise to the level that we felt there was a threat necessarily.”

6. EC holds Niebuhr Hall community meeting at 7 p.m. October 23 to discuss recent hate incidents and shooting threats in the dorm.

7. In response to faculty and student complaints about how long it took EC to notify the campus about recent hate and shooting threat incidents, the Elmhurst College Board of Trustees says Friday, October 25 the institution needs to review their notification protocol.

8. President Troy VanAken closes campus as a precaution on Monday, October 28 after a threatening message is uncovered at the Elmhurst College A.C. Buehler Library late Sunday night, October 27.

9. EC closes for the second day on Tuesday, October 29 after additional threatening graffiti was found in Dinkmeyer Hall.

10. Amid heightened security, EC reopens Wednesday, October 30, according to President Troy VanAken’s campus wide email sent on October 29.

PRESENT: The FBI and the Elmhurst Police Department are still investigating the incidents on campus. Campus organizes series of unity events to come together after the difficult weeks.