President Teniente-Matson’s Message to Campus Regarding the Arrest of a Graffiti Suspect and Promoting a Supportive Campus Climate for All

Editor's note: The following message was shared with the SJSU campus community on Thursday, May 21.

Dear Spartan Community,

As we gather this week to celebrate the joys of commencement and honor the achievements of our graduates, it is especially important that we remain connected to one another and grounded in our shared values of dignity, respect and care.

For many in our community, the past several months have been difficult and emotionally exhausting. We live, work and learn in a world where incidents of hate and violence result in harm and, too often, tragedy.

This week's shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego is another too-frequent example of hate leading to the loss of life. The shooters' reported white supremacist and anti-Muslim views reverberate fear and pain in our community, too.

Additionally, over the last several months, our community has also experienced multiple incidents of graffiti containing antisemitic, Islamophobic, racial and/or discriminatory slurs, as well as threats of violence against the campus community.

These incidents have caused real harm across our campus. In particular, our Jewish and Muslim students, faculty and staff are experiencing the tragedy and hateful rhetoric intensely. The acts have targeted individuals and communities we proudly welcome to SJSU, and I hope you all join me in condemning hate and violence while standing in solidarity with our community.

I also want to emphasize that our leadership team prioritizes the safety of our campus and community, and I've pledged that we would share timely updates about issues where our safety is threatened.

Yesterday, the San José State University Police Department arrested a suspect believed to be responsible for the graffiti. This arrest follows an extensive investigation conducted by UPD in partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. More details are available on our graffiti response website.

I express my deep appreciation to our University Police Department and all those who worked tirelessly throughout this investigation. Their persistence, professionalism, and commitment to the safety of our campus community are extraordinary.

Every Spartan and visitor deserves to feel welcome and safe at San José State University. I encourage you to reach out for support if needed and to continue caring for one another. As I always say, Spartans take care of Spartans.

Thank you for your resilience, your compassion, and your continued commitment to our community.

Sincerely,
Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson