Dear UNT Community,

This weekend, members of the Jewish community at Congregation Beth Israel in nearby Colleyville were targeted when a gunman took four hostages as worshippers assembled for the Sabbath. Thankfully none of the individuals held hostage were physically harmed but the emotional scars will no doubt remain with them.

These acts of antisemitism are unacceptable, and our hearts go out to those impacted. All of our community members are an important part of our campus and deserve to be treated respectfully and live in a world where they do not have to fear for their safety. If you have experienced or witnessed harassing behavior, report it to the Dean of Students office at report.unt.edu or to the Equal Opportunity & Title IX office. You also can get involved with one of our Multicultural Center programs or learn more about diversity and inclusion at UNT and allyship from the Division of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access.

We are one community, and I encourage you to embrace our Jewish community members during this time. At UNT, we are committed to celebrating our diversity and working to develop a better understanding of each other so that we may truly enjoy an inclusive, caring community. We must continue to stand together for a better world.

Sincerely,
Neal Smatresk
UNT President