University of Louisville apologizes over Hispanic Halloween costumes

The University of Louisville has apologised after a photo surfaced showing President James Ramsey among a group of staffers at a Halloween party dressed in stereotypical Mexican costumes.

“We made a mistake and are very sorry”, Kathleen Smith, chief of staff to the president, said in a statement, which noted her office had met with a top official of U of L’s Office of Hispanic and Latino Initiatives and shared “our deep regret for the hurt this experience has caused”.

“What kind of message is it sending to our community members, our students here when the president of your university is dressing in stereotypical Mexican clothing that further reinforces racist stereotypes about my people”, said Tania Avalos, a 22-year-old graduate student. Ramsey is smiling in a brightly colored poncho and sombrero.

Freshman Leonardo Salinas told Associated Press he was shocked by the inappropriate photo.

Last year, photos of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority students with sombreros, mustaches and maracas caused an uproar at Columbia University.

“I was appalled”, he said.

It features the university president and staff posed outside of a Highlands mansion, which is often used for school events. “They feel hurt. They feel like their trust was broken…We’re human being”.

As social media criticism grew, university officials released an apology Thursday evening, addressing it to “Hispanic/Latino Faculty, Staff and Students”. “Someone thought, ‘Oh, this is a good idea.’ How did it not click in anybody’s mind that it was a very bad idea?”.

Sarah Nunez, the university’s director of the Office of Hispanic and Latino Initiatives, said she said heard from numerous university’s 712 Hispanic undergraduates, and a few of the 150 faculty and staff.

“Why are we fighting when people in power like President Ramsey are fighting against us”, Avalos said. Multiple investigations into her allegations are pending. He said the university started getting complaints Thursday. “I’m embarrassed that our president doesn’t have the same knowledge”. Ramsey and his staff used the location for a Halloween party on Wednesday.

Latino students – whose presence at the school mirrors Kentucky’s 3.4% Latino population – condemned the costume party.

Powell alleged in her book, “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen”, that she was paid to help organize almost two dozen parties involving strippers and escorts. “The university realized it’s a problem and they need to fix it. It has to be not only something they talk about, but something they act on”.