Kennesaw State University released a statement on Friday saying that it would look into a claim that a black student was accused of “harassing” his adviser while waiting for a meeting.
Below is the university’s statement, which was posted to the school’s website:
Kennesaw State University officials are working with the student to review his concerns regarding the behavior of an academic advisor in the WellStar College of Health and Human Services.
Kennesaw State University officials take seriously all student concerns and are dedicated to promoting a positive academic advising experience for all students.
On Thursday, the university had tweeted about the incident explaining that they were aware of it:
We are aware of the video and situation. Thanks for sharing your concern with us. A formal complaint process has begun.
— Kennesaw State (@kennesawstate) May 14, 2015
The university said a formal complaint had been opened after student Kevin Bruce was told to leave the reception area of the WellStar College of Health and Human Services advising center while trying to get an appointment with his adviser, the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper reported on Thursday.
The response from the school comes after a video Bruce took of the exchange went viral and prompted the hashtag #ItsBiggerThanKSU to describe instances of racial discrimination.
Below, is Bruce’s video, which he posted to Twitter on Wednesday.
Rude advisors at Kennesaw . Smh pic.twitter.com/ugcX4gnIsp
— KB (@IamKB_) May 14, 2015
In the video, a reported staff member approaches Bruce and accuses him of harassing “Mrs. Tilley,” which Bruce denies.
“Sitting here until somebody’s available is harassing them,” she says. “It is. Would you like me to call campus security? I will go do that.”
The staff member then leaves and the video ends. While Bruce said he didn’t believe racism was the impetus behind the accusation, the incident prompted a dialogue on social media about discrimination, Raw Story reported.
Bruce also posted a detailed explanation about the incident to Twitter in which he identified the woman and other advisers.
That’s everything that led up to it . #ItsBiggerThanKSU pic.twitter.com/pQM8tyHqdW
— KB (@IamKB_) May 14, 2015
Carr: Them clothes got laundry numbers on them. You remember your number and always wear the ones that has your number. Any man forgets his number spends a night in the box. These here spoons you keep with you. Any man loses his spoon spends a night in the box. There’s no playing grab-ass or fighting in the building. You got a grudge against another man, you fight him Saturday afternoon. Any man playing grab-ass or fighting in the building spends a night in the box. First bell’s at five minutes of eight when you will get in your bunk. Last bell is at eight. Any man not in his bunk at eight spends the night in the box. There is no smoking in the prone position in bed. To smoke you must have both legs over the side of your bunk. Any man caught smoking in the prone position in bed… spends a night in the box. You get two sheets. Every Saturday, you put the clean sheet on the top… the top sheet on the bottom… and the bottom sheet you turn in to the laundry boy. Any man turns in the wrong sheet spends a night in the box. No one’ll sit in the bunks with dirty pants on. Any man with dirty pants on sitting on the bunks spends a night in the box. Any man don’t bring back his empty pop bottle spends a night in the box. Any man loud talking spends a night in the box. You got questions, you come to me. I’m Carr, the floor walker. I’m responsible for order in here. Any man don’t keep order spends a night in…
Luke: …the box.
Carr: I hope you ain’t going to be a hard case.
Luke: [Smiles, shakes head] .
This is the second story in as many months about Kennesaw State and racism. Last month a professor went on a racial tirade against an Uber driver that was also caught on video
It’s probably worth noting that Kennesaw is a city that requires everyone to own a gun.
And I can take one look at that woman and see she is incredibly high strung and it won’t take much to set her off.
Then he eats a zillion hard boiled eggs.
Failure to communicate.