May 16, 2022 – Condemning the Deadly Racist Act in Buffalo, New York

Dear Campus Community,

On Saturday, I was horrified to learn a gunman who identifies as a white supremacist killed 10 people and injured others at a supermarket in a predominately Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York. Our sympathies are with the victims and their families.

Extremism and violence continue to plague our nation. Mass shootings have occurred in our schools, churches, places of business, and where we shop. As a nation, we must confront the ideologies of fear and hatred that drive perpetrators to these murderous attacks. As a University, it is our responsibility to continue to find ways to bring the power of education to combat hate and ignorance.

This mass shooting, and countless others (including yesterday's shooting at a church in Orange County), justifiably lead to feelings of profound sadness, anger, and frustration. These horrific events, no matter how far from campus, deeply affect each of us, especially our Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities. Please reach out to our BIPOC students and colleagues with compassion and support.

At Chico State, we must work to create and nurture a culture rooted in shared values of equity, diversity and inclusion. These values will guide us as we actively work as one University to pursue equity and social justice. I hope you’ll join me in standing together as a campus against these senseless acts of hate.

Sincerely,

Gayle E. Hutchinson

President