Vanderbilt condemns racist email promoting white supremacy sent to students, staff

Vanderbilt University is condemning a "disturbing" email containing a racist message sent to some students, faculty and staff Monday night.

The email contained racist language and promoted white supremacy, a message on the school's Twitter account said early Tuesday morning.

The message "..violates our fundamental commitment to fostering an inclusive community and is absolutely unacceptable," the statement said.

A Twitter account for Vanderbilt's chapter of the NAACP shared an image of the reported email, which shows explicit language including the n-word and the phrase "White Pride at Vanderbilt and worldwide!"

"The white nationalist email blast that was sent out to many Black Students tonight is yet ANOTHER reprehensible display of how racism and hatred is ingrained into Vanderbilt culture." Vanderbilt NAACP's tweet said.

The university is investigating the source of the email.

"Late last night, we became aware that a deeply disturbing email containing racist language and promoting white supremacy was sent to members of the Vanderbilt community," university Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan R. Wente said mid Tuesday morning.

"The language and sentiment contained in this message are abhorrent and antithetical to our values as a university community. We condemn this message and the tactics of sowing distrust, division and hatred that it employs. Equity, diversity and inclusion are bedrock values of the Vanderbilt community."

Wente said Vanderbilt IT has been working through the night to identify the source of this email and to stop its dissemination and that of any further such emails.

"VUIT believes this effort was an external attack designed to look like an official Vanderbilt email....We know this is deeply disturbing and hurtful."

Please be aware that Vanderbilt IT is actively working to determine the source of and stop the dissemination of this email. The fact that the communication was NOT an official Vanderbilt University email or correspondence does not diminish the pain that it has caused. — Vanderbilt University (@VanderbiltU) July 31, 2018

The university says the email does not contain a link to a virus but are recommending recipients avoid responding to the email and simply delete it.

Wente said university resources are available to any community member seeking assistance.