A Humboldt State University faculty member resigned last week after a racially charged letter was found near her office, and now the University Police Department is looking for leads on the writer.

The letter -- reportedly found near the female faculty member's office -- apparently used racial-charged language possibly targeting her, although she is not named in the letter, according to the police department.

HSU President Rollin C. Richmond issued a message to the university community Friday, stating the letter was a “hateful and cowardly act.” Richmond said in his statement that the faculty member resigned out of fear.

University spokesman Paul Mann said officials are withholding the name and identifying information about the faculty member -- including what department she worked in and her time at the campus -- to protect her privacy. HSU staff are taking measures to find out who sent the note.

”It's 100 percent unacceptable,” he said. “If anyone has any information that could help us identify who sent this, we hope they will call UPD.”

The letter is not technically a crime because no threat was made, but it could be against university policy if the writer was a student or fellow faculty member, said UPD Lt. Lynne Soderberg.

So far, UPD says it has no leads in the case.

”We don't even know if it's someone who just walked through campus,” she said.

Soderberg said she is unsure

Advertisement
exactly where the letter was located near the faculty member's office but it was not in the office nor on the floor. Although no threats were made in the letter, the faculty member was still reportedly made fearful. Soderberg said she does not know why the faculty member reacted with her resignation.

”That's based on her feeling and I can't say that for her,” she said. “There was nothing that was overtly threatening in it. Who's to say if that's really the only reason for resigning?”

According to UPD, from September 2008 to September 2009, there were two hate incidents and one hate crime involving criminal threats in a note at the university. From September 2007 to September 2008, there were three hate incidents and one hate crime.

U.C. Berkeley law professor Jesse Choper said the letter constitutes hate speech, which is constitutionally protected.

”If you could find out who sent the letter, then it becomes a matter of freedom of speech,” he said.

However, that would not apply if the letter had been threatening.

”If it had said, 'If you stay on the job, you'll suffer,' that's not protected,” he said.

The faculty member could sue for damages or emotional distress but whether or not she would be successful is unclear.

”She's obviously pretty distressed,” but the courts are undecided if that is enough to win a civil suit, Choper said.

Hate speech may be protected, but if the writer was a student or faculty member, the case would be somewhat stronger, he said.

Anyone with information can call UPD at 826-5555. Callers can remain anonymous.

Allison White can be reached at 441-0506 or awhite@times-standard.com.