U.S. Attorney to meet with international ISU students
U.S. Attorney for Idaho Wendy J. Olson will be in Pocatello Thursday to meet with Saudi, Muslim,other international students, and Idaho State University officials.
The meeting will address discrimination, violence and harassment targeting people based on what they look like or what country they come from. According to Olson’s office, the meeting is one of 14 U.S. Attorney sponsored events across the United States aimed at protecting civil rights and preventing hate crimes.
In advance of that meeting, the university has issued a statement in response to the placement of anti-Muslim DVDs on parked cars earlier this month.
Here is the ISU statement:
“We acknowledge recent events in the community that are of concern to our Middle Eastern students. Idaho State University is very sensitive to these issues, and we understand the fear that some of our Middle Eastern students may currently be facing.
As one of the safest campuses in the United States, we are troubled that recent events have caused distress and unease. ISU is focused on providing an excellent education in a safe and inclusive environment.
We continue to work with local law enforcement to investigate any reported offenses. To our knowledge, the
Office of Public Safety has not received any reports of threats or violence aimed at our Kuwaiti and Saudi Arabian students. We urge anyone who has been a victim of threats or violence to report them to the Office of Public Safety.
ISU has a longstanding commitment to multiculturalism, and we have more than 50 countries represented at our institution. Our campus enjoys a host of cultural activities put on by our students, and the opportunities for collaborative learning are important to our mission.
We are open to suggestions for improvement, and ISU is available to address any concerns of our students. We encourage those affected to work directly with the Office of Student Affairs.
ISU is committed to providing a supportive and safe environment for all of our students. ISU stands with anyone who has been affected by intolerance, and we will do everything in our power to correct past problems and promote future opportunities for success.”
