The University of North Texas long prides itself on celebrating the many facets of diversity on our campus. We are a caring community that has always been a place for the free exchange of ideas, differing viewpoints and healthy discussion and debate.

In light of recent events, I feel compelled to clarify the difference between peaceful and thoughtful protest as a way for our campus to express ideas and the kinds of violent, hate-filled and reprehensible behavior seen recently on a national scale.

Let me be completely clear in my condemnation of racial intolerance, hate speech and violence in the name of free speech and protest.

Our campus always finds a way to rise above, and I trust our community to thoughtfully engage and express themselves in ways that advance discourse, our mission to educate and our commitment to being one of the most caring college communities in the country.

I ask all of you to join me in expressing our support for our deep and rich diversity and for guarding against behaviors that violently disrupt our university community.

UNT Proud,
Neal Smatresk
President

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