February 1, 2019

Dear Members of the AU Community,

Last night, a man wearing a Confederate flag hoodie entered and dined in the Terrace Dining Room. An AUPD officer spoke with the individual after students nearby expressed concern about his presence. The man later left. We are reviewing information about the event and have reached out to the students involved.

We recognize that the Confederate flag feels threatening to members of our community. We encourage those seeking support to reach out to the Dean of Students office at 202-885-3300 or dos@american.edu or the AU Center for Diversity and Inclusion at cdi@american.edu or 202-885-1168.

As a university that values inclusion, freedom of expression and a culture of openness, we recognize that resolving the tensions that can arise between these issues is challenging.

We will communicate as we continue to understand what occurred.

Sincerely,
Fanta Aw
Vice President of Campus Life & Inclusive Excellence
American University
campuslife@american.edu