09/12/2019
We stand beside the AEPi Psi Deuteron chapter at this time and our wishes go out to the entire Jewish community at UTK.
The Psi Deuteron chapter stands firmly against this hate. We are sick and tired of University of Tennessee constantly doing nothing to address this. This happens time and time again and all the university has said is “this is unacceptable”. AEPi at UTK asks the Greek community to share this on their stories and to tag the University. It’s time something is done about this. Our chapter stands against hate of all forms, and simply want action to be taken. We ask that alumni, friends, and family share this and make no way for the University to avoid this topic this time.
EDIT: To begin, we would like to express our most sincere gratitude on behalf of AEPi and the rest of the Jewish community at UTK for the incredible amount of support we have received over the past few hours. We would like to clarify that AEPi at UTK is in no way blaming the University of Tennessee administration in any way, shape, or form. We were just asking for a more effective response from the University this time around, since this is not the first occurrence. As of now, the University has been working closely with AEPi, Hillel, and other Jewish students/organizations to address this issue. The comments on our post suggesting we were blaming the administration are inaccurate. While we did feel as if the University had glossed over incidents such as these in the past, we are happy to say that this time the University has been diligent and proactive in addressing this one.
Furthermore, we would also like to address those in the comments who are expressing concern in regards to sending their children to UTK. The overwhelming outpouring of support we have received from the community demonstrates that UTK does not breed a hateful environment. The vast majority of students, faculty, and staff here at UTK has done nothing but be supportive, kind, and accepting. This hateful event should not be the reason Jews disappear from this campus. One individual does not and should not have the power to make others feel unwelcome and unsafe. Vol means all, and we stand by this. The University stands by this, and almost every single student on this campus stands by this too.