Officials at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, condemned a "horrific" incident in which LGBTQ students were harassed at an affinity house last week, the school said.
The incident took place Thursday at Tower House: Fran's House, an affinity house that provides LGBTQ-friendly, gender-neutral housing for Bucknell students.
In a letter released Friday, university President John Bravman, Provost Elisabeth Mermann-Jozwiak and Nikki Young, the associate provost for equity and inclusive excellence, said a group of male students approached the residence, which formerly housed Tau Kappa Epsilon, a fraternity no longer recognized by the school.
It said "these men allegedly harassed and intimidated the residents of Tower House while attempting to enter the building."
"It is clear from multiple accounts that the students violated the physical space and, far more importantly, the residents' sense of place and security. Further, it is equally clear that Bucknell Public Safety's response to the incident was lacking in myriad ways," the letter reads.
The school will investigate the incident and an outside firm will investigate the Public Safety Department's response, the letter says.
The letter does not identify the victims or the aggressors.
Related
"Many in our community have come together to offer support to the residents of Tower House. This support includes counseling and academic support that may be necessary during finals week," the letter reads.
The school vowed to continue to hold conversations with Fran's House affinity group students about the future of their housing needs.
"We cannot erase the ugliness and subsequent trauma of last night's transgression against the students of Fran's House and, implicitly, many others," the letter says. "But we can commit to addressing it in a way that protects LGBTQ Bucknellians and better ensures their safety in the future."
