Following a reported racial harassment incident May 6, in which subjects on the roof of the Sigma Pi fraternity house allegedly threw bottles and cans and shouted racial insults at a group of black men and women, the Student Assembly and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly have both issued statements condemning the incident.

"At Cornell, we pride ourselves on being a campus where diversity is valued and where all can feel welcome," said the GPSA. "But no words are strong enough to condemn these actions as thoroughly out of place in our community. This cannot be seen as an incident affecting only one group on campus; this brand of discrimination affects us all, and it can only be combated when we all come together. We must make it clear, through our words and actions, that we won't tolerate behavior of this nature, and we must speak out when it occurs."

Said the SA: "This type of behavior is completely unacceptable and has no place on Cornell's campus, which was founded on the value of providing a safe environment to all students. This incident has hurt the friends, university and community for which we care so deeply. As a unified student body, we need to do our part to prevent such actions so that they do not occur again. ... We must all recognize that despite our different backgrounds, hometowns, majors, appearances or stories, we are bound by the notion that we are each an integral part of the Cornell community. Only then will we create an environment that benefits us all and the students who will follow in our paths."

These statements are the latest roundly condemning the incident. In addition to messages from Vice President Susan Murphy and Dean of Students Kent Hubbell, emails have been sent by student groups including Black Students United and the Women of Color Coalition. The Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council and Multicultural Greek Letter Council issued a joint statement.

The university has placed Sigma Pi on interim suspension, pending the outcome of a police investigation into the incident.

A community forum to discuss the issues will be held tonight, May 9, 7-9 p.m. in G10 Biotech.