The president of the University of Louisville has apologized … for wearing a sombrero. The college has also promised to immediately launch “training on diversity and racial equality issues.”
President James Ramsey donned the sombrero and a multi-colored poncho in a picture he took with his wife and other university staffers wearing similar garb, including fake mustaches, at a Halloween luncheon.
Unsurprisingly, the costumes were decried as offensive.
“We made a mistake and are very sorry,” Kathleen Smith, chief of staff to the president, said in a statement to The Courier Journal.
The Associated Press reports that the university’s director of the Office of Hispanic and Latino Initiatives heard complaints from “many of the university’s 712 Hispanic undergraduates, and some of the 150 faculty and staff.”
“Some students shared that they felt this was degrading to them, and disrespectful,” the Latino initiatives director stated. “They feel hurt. They feel like their trust was broken.”
The university begged for forgiveness.
“As Chief of Staff to the President, I write to express a sincere apology for the choice of Halloween costumes at our staff luncheon,” officials announced in a statement. “We made a mistake and are very sorry. We have met with Sarah Nuñez, UofL’s Director of the Office of Hispanic and Latino Initiatives, and shared with her our deep regret for the hurt this experience has caused.”
“We commit to a series of campus conversations with students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members to further focus on diversity and racial equality issues underpinning the pluralistic society we all support,” it continued. “This event shows we have much more to learn about our community. We pledge to continue to work together to promote an environment that values all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, country of origin, immigration status, sexual orientation or gender identity. Our office will institute immediate training on diversity and racial equality issues.”
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