AMHERST — An investigation into the origin of racist emails received by Black student organizations at the University of Massachusetts is underway, but the company handling the work has not yet determined whether they are isolated incidents or part of a larger white supremacist campaign, according to UMass Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy.
Subbaswamy sent a letter to the campus community on Wednesday providing an update into the work being done by Stroz Friedberg Digital Forensics of New York City, which is examining the emails and other supporting materials that Black student organizations have received this semester.
“While we are limited in what we can reveal about the methods of the investigation for fear of tipping off the perpetrator, we can share that the investigators will assess the online targeting of the UMass community across multiple sources, including dark websites, and will leverage custom tools as well as proprietary and commercial datasets in their probe,” Subbaswamy wrote.
Those techniques, he added, will determine if the origins of the emails is on campus or beyond, and if there is any affiliation with UMass.
“I want to assure you that evidence gathered through the investigation leading to the person or group responsible for the hateful, racist emails will be shared with law enforcement officials for potential criminal prosecution,” Subbaswamy wrote.
He pledged, as well, that if someone on campus is involved, that person would face severe university sanctions, including possible expulsion or employment termination.
Subbaswamy wrote that anyone with information related to the emails should contact UMass police, and that they can do so confidentially through an online anonymous witness form.
He concluded his letter by observing the university is committed to having a campus “grounded in justice, equity, dignity and respect.”
“Finally, I want to reiterate that we are committed to ongoing support for our students who have been victimized by these hateful, racist emails and other acts of racism that have occurred this semester,” Subbaswamy wrote.
“In meetings with some of our Black student leaders over the past week, my leadership team gained valuable insight on how we can more fully realize this commitment.”
