Important Message for Our Community

Campus community,

We have been made aware of allegations of disturbing conduct, including an online petition calling for the destruction of a people based on national origin. 

That petition — which can be interpreted as antisemitic in accordance with state and federal guidance — appears to be authored by a university employee who is circulating it broadly online.

We condemn any call for violence and the views expressed online certainly do not represent the institution’s views. They express hate. 

While someone in his or her personal capacity may be free to express themselves, the university is also free to make clear that the individual’s personal views are not those of our community.  

Let me be clear: the views expressed by this employee, if accurately attributed, are repugnant. 

Importantly, too, if such individual expressions threaten the safety and well-being of the university’s students and staff, we are obligated to act to protect our community and our people. 

This issue, therefore, compels us to address questions other campuses are grappling with as well — chiefly, where and when does conduct and the freedom to express views in a community compromise the safety and well-being of people in that community? 

Under Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, these issues raise serious concerns about whether this employee’s actions may create a hostile environment on our campus — an environment in which the civil rights of members of our community could be violated. 

As a result, this employee has been removed, pending an investigation, from any teaching and classroom responsibilities.

Moreover, the university is taking the following actions:

• Independent Legal Review: UK has engaged with outside legal counsel to provide a neutral, third-party review and recommendation as to whether this employee’s conduct may violate federal and state guidance as well as university policies. Conduct and speech that constitutes harassment or creates a hostile environment as defined by the Supreme Court of the United States is not protected. The employee has been notified of the investigation.
• Accelerated findings: That outside counsel will work with the appropriate units on campus to quickly review these issues, make findings and provide recommendations.
• Updated Web Policy: The institution has made sure that the petition in question is not found or hosted on any university-based sites or applications. The institution also is adopting a campus-wide policy to bar linking from university resources, such as websites, to personal websites or platforms. You can read the details of that policy here.
• Protection from Retaliation: Of course, the university prohibits retaliation and will take steps to address the physical safety of and any potential retaliation against the employee and any other person participating in the investigation.

This is a community that takes seriously its values, values central to our mission to advance Kentucky. 

Among them, we protect academic freedom and the vigorous exchange of ideas, central to the creation and dissemination of knowledge. 

We also foster a community where everyone can find a home, can feel a sense of safety and well-being and can, as a result, have the opportunity to thrive.  

But, critically, when those values are in tension with each other, we are resolved and resolute about working quickly and thoughtfully to seek answers that protect our people while honoring our mission to advance this state in all that we do. We contemplate that tension and those responsibilities within our Governing Regulations, as well.

Understanding our responsibilities — and living up to them — undergirds the process underway now. We will keep you informed as we move forward.

Thank you.

Eli Capilouto

Members of the university community can report any incident of discrimination or harassment to the Office of Equal Opportunity here.