Cornell University announced it will close a fraternity whose members may have participated in a racially charged assault that sent one student in the hospital.
The Psi Upsilon alumni Board of Governors revealed late Tuesday their decision to close the Chi Chapter at Cornell University indefinitely after a black student was attacked in the driveway of his home in Collegetown, according to a statement from the university.
The 19-year-old, a junior at the Ivy League school, told the Cornell Daily Sun a group of students shouted racial slurs and expletives before punching him repeatedly in the face earlier this month. He was left “bloodied” by the attack, but a trip to the hospital ruled out broken bones or a concussion.
Police have identified 19-year-old Josh Greenwood as the student charged with misdemeanor assault following his arrest Friday morning. An official speaking on the condition of anonymity confirmed he was white.
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Authorities in Ithaca added “further charges are pending” and that the investigation into “the elements that this assault was based on racial bias” is still underway.
Vice President for student and campus life Ryan Lombardi in a statement last week said students “allegedly from a currently unaffiliated fraternity” were involved in the attack, but did not specifically name the now-closed fraternity.
The campus’ Black Students United named Psi Upsilon as the group behind the assault and have since called on officials to treat it as a hate crime.
The school previously revoked the fraternity’s charter in 2016 after they allegedly hosted a party while they were under suspension.
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Alumni of the Cornell chapter of Psi Upsilon however, told the Sun before Greenwood was identified that the student arrested “is not and has never been” a member of the fraternity.
Ithaca Attorney Raymond Schlather said he was representing Greenwood and that he “was in no way involved in any physical altercation of any kind.”
“To be clear, the use of the n-word, and any related racist derogatory language, is completely unacceptable, not only at Cornell, but anywhere in America,” Schlather told the Sun. “My client understands this well; such language not only offends his values but does not reflect the person he is.”
Authorities interviewed several students who witnessed the incident, a few of whom filmed the attack.
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Lombardi said the Psi Upsilon property on 2 Forest Park Lane would be re-opened for “the use of student organizations at Cornell that are dedicated to promoting a diverse and inclusive student community.”
The building was vandalized over the weekend, the words “You Rasists F---s [sic]” spray-painted on the wall.
University President Maria Pollack in a statement called on students to speak out against racism on campus and outlined several initiatives — including a task force that will “identify the problems preventing us from being a fully welcoming and inclusive community” — to ensure no similar incidents occur on campus again.
“For the vast majority of Cornellians, who abhor these recent events, our community needs your help,” she said. “Please speak out against injustice, racism, and bigotry, and reach out to support on another.
“Ours must be a community grounded in mutual respect and kindness.”
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