SAN DIEGO —
Officials at San Diego State University were seeking information about vandalism on campus, according to a press release from the school Sunday.
The university’s Black Resource Center located on Lindo Paseo just west of Campanile Drive was vandalized at an unknown time between Friday evening and Sunday morning.
“We were disheartened to find the building -- an important space for learning and community gathering on our campus -- treated with such disrespect and disregard,” the school’s statement read in part.
A TV was broken and items were moved around at the resource center. No one was in the building at the time of the vandalism.
Students tell News 8 the BRC has only been open for about a year or so, but they note that it has been a great resource for African American SDSU students.
“Incidents such as that which has occurred at the BRC do not minimize our commitment to our community -- they strengthen them,” said J. Luke Wood, associate vice president for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer. “SDSU has and will continue to affirm our unyielding commitment to diversity and inclusion, and I call on your continued solidarity in support of our Black community and in support of our collective community.”
In an email to students, Wood also stated that the school would be taking action to safeguard the BRC from further incidents.
"As an investigation into this weekend’s case of vandalism is currently active, additional actions are being planned to further increase safety measures and to offer support for our students, faculty and staff. One immediate and new action will be to increase University Police patrols around the BRC," Wood wrote.
It's the second time in the last two months SDSU's BRC has been in the news. On March 2, a person parked outside the building recorded a video in which a group of men appear to drive by off-camera shouting a racial slur.
After that incident, the university issued a statement condemning the act and held healing circles on campus.
SDSU police were investigating the vandalism incident and asked anyone with information to call their tip line at 619-594-1991, or by email at policeinvestigations@sdsu.edu.