New York University issued an official apology to students this week for serving watermelon flavored water and Kool-aid at a Black History Month event, two foods associated with racial stereotypes.
University President Andrew Hamilton issued a statement, apologizing for the “inexcusably insensitive” incident, noting that the decision came from the school’s catering company, as reported by The New York Times.
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The university president also apologized for the response by members of the administration who tried to dismiss a black student’s questions about the food choices, after the student posted the back-and-forth on Facebook on Tuesday.
The catering company, Aramark, fired the two employees after it was revealed they had violated its policies requiring consultation with student leadership and campus cultural organizations for special event menus.
“We have zero tolerance for any employee who does not adhere to our values or contradicts our longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion,” the company said in a Wednesday statement.
The independent research university is ranked among the top employers for racial diversity in the nation and has an institution focused on racial issues at its law school, the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law.