For the second time in a year, a racist word has been found in a dormitory on the St. Thomas campus.

President Julie Sullivan announced via email Thursday that students found a “racist word traced in dust on a bathroom window” late Wednesday night in the all-male Ireland Hall.

“This word and the person(s) responsible for writing it have no place within our community. This is an act of hate against our black residents and a damaging act against the entire St. Thomas community,” Residence Life Director Aaron Macke wrote in an email to Ireland residents.

TommieMedia has learned the racist word was found in the third-floor south bathroom.

Sullivan said students reported it immediately, but it was not clear when the slur was written.

First-year student and Ireland Hall resident Trent Johnson said, “This happened last year. Why does it have to happen again?”

Third-floor Ireland resident Samuel Queenan said all first-year students had to take diversity education training.

“If they find out who did this, they should expel them, so the next person will know how serious this situation is,” Queenan said.

Public Safety is investigating by reviewing video, interviewing students and consulting with St. Paul Police.

“We know that we are not a perfect institution, but we are committed and very serious about combating racism,” Kha Yang, newly hired vice president of inclusive excellence said. “We will continue to pour resources and review our processes and practices about how we can build a more inclusive environment.”

This is the fourth reported racist incident on campus in four years.

Last October, a first-year student returned to his room in Brady Hall after using the restroom and found someone had written “n—– go back” on his door. It sparked a sit-in protest in the Anderson Student Center where more than 500 students, faculty and staff gathered.

In November 2017, an Ireland Hall resident adviser found a racial slur etched into a paper on a bulletin board.

In November 2016, a student found a racial slur written on a campus sidewalk.

“These incidents impact the entire campus. It is something that’s very difficult for a lot of our students and primarily students of color to have this happen to them,” said Student Body President Logan Monahan. “Everyone here has a place and everyone needs to know that.”

In response to the latest incident, the College of Arts and Sciences Dean Yohuru Williams led a “BE-In” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

“We are asking members of this community to come in an act of solidarity to reclaim that space and affirm our values as an institution committed to diversity, justice, and inclusion,” Williams wrote in an email.

“It is important that we take immediate action to demonstrate that bigotry and intolerance have no place on our campus,” he wrote.

Facilities Management employee DeLaine Crawford, whom we interviewed in Ireland, said, “Immediately have a diversity meeting. Attack it right away.”

This is a developing story. TommieMedia will continue to cover and file updates.

Emily Haugen, Samantha HoangLong, Althea Larson, Max Collier, Jacob Schneider, Carly Noble, Mae Macfarlane, Abby Sliva and Justin Amaker contributed to this report.