Hate crimes, mental health, and what the police are doing to keep students of color safe on campus

In the fall of 2020, the spirit rock, commonly referred to as “The Rock” on the front of Kent State’s campus was vandalized with a racial slur. Because the rock is designated to be painted by students, it was not considered a hate crime. Kent State’s campus is a place for students from different backgrounds to feel safe and included. Instances such as these pose a threat to the well-being of students. Previously when there have been racial incidents on campus, students receive an email offering support and resources. 

Hate crimes and ethnic intimidation on college campuses can have negative psychological effects on students of particularly targeted groups. 

There were two incidents on campus in 2021 that were considered hate crimes. One was categorized as criminal damage and ethnic intimidation by racial bias, and another was reported as a student housing facilities incident of criminal mischief characterized by a racial bias. These were the only two incidents within the past few years. 

The Clery Act is a federal statute that requires colleges and universities to disclose crime statistics that happen on and adjacent to campus in their public crime log and the school’s Clery report. It does not consider the vandalization of a spirit rock a hate crime because it is a place for students to express freedom of speech. 

“Words will harm, particularly in a place where people are marginalized or are a minority,” said Angela Neal-Barnett, a psychologist at Kent State.”But those types of slurs that get painted in bathrooms, that get said in the hallway, that get written in various places take a toll on our BIPOC students. 

Neal-Barnett studies the effects of racism on people of color. 

“I mean, just imagine getting up every day and knowing you have to fight, It is exhausting for the students, and then exhaustion affects one’s mental health.”

In a climate study on race conducted by the university last year, it was found that most students feel safe on campus. For instances where they don’t or need more support, there are several identity centers on campus, such as Black United Students, and the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and the LGBTQ+ center. 

Along with those are mental health services that provide counseling and therapy, and the Division of Student Affairs – an organization that can be used by students.

“There’s just moments when there is some sense of insecurity,” said N. J. Akbar, the associate vice president of the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Kent State “The institution has worked very hard to be responsive so that if there is things that are concerning – when we know about it, we do try to respond and provide additional support and mechanisms for students to feel safe and be supported on campus.” 

While mental health resources and identity support centers are optional resources for students who may seek to manage their individual well-being while navigating instances of racially motivated intimidation, the Kent State Police also claims to work to keep campus safe.

Sgt. Tricia Knoles of the Kent State Police aims to make minority groups, particularly black and LGBT, feel safe on campus and trust the police. Community outreach has become common in the department. 

“I know that people come in from different cultures, different areas,” Knoles said “Different experiences and backgrounds that they’ve had with the police may not be very favorable. So we want them to come here, meet us, see that we’re different. We want to help everybody in their community feel comfortable.” 

Kent State officers are also vigorously trained in crisis intervention tactics. The department is accredited and requires training on de-escalation, bias-based profiling, cultural diversity, mental health, and crisis intervention. 

“There’s no way we can be perfect and we aren’t perfect. As the context of different issues changes and we become more educated about different things in society and the way our knowledge changes, then our response has to change. We have to have room to grow, and we’re growing, hopefully, together,” N. J. Akbar said.

In the instance that someone on campus sees a hateful slur or intimidation of any kind, they are encouraged to report it to the Kent State Police by dialing 330-672-3070.

https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/12079158/ (Link to graph because the quality is changed when uploaded to WordPress)