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A University of Wyoming official assured graduate students that the school stands by them after “racist remarks” emerged following last week’s news that authorities had arrested an international student accused of poisoning her peer.  

“We are aware that the recent attempted poisoning on campus involving graduate students has led to hateful and racist remarks, particularly on social media,” Carolyn Pepper, vice provost and dean of the School of Graduate Education, wrote in an email last week to the school’s graduate students. 

“Please know that the University of Wyoming and the School of Graduate Education stand behind our graduate students,” Pepper continued. “We want to support you through this difficult time.” 

Pepper encouraged international students to attend a meeting scheduled for that afternoon at the Cheney International Center. She also shared a list of counseling resources. 

Aili Wang
(Mark Gomelsky photo
via University of Wyoming)

A University of Wyoming microbiology graduate student from China was arrested Oct. 6 at Los Angeles International Airport on accusations she poisoned the tea of her colleague, with whom she didn’t get along. The student, Aili Wang, 32, tried to flee the country to China after police questioned her. Authorities charged Wang with felony aggravated assault and battery. 

The police investigation began after the victim, identified in court documents as “K.T.,” began experiencing symptoms. A chemistry professor tested water from the alleged victim’s coffee maker, which he used to make tea, and found the neurotoxin acrylamide, according to a police affidavit. 

Wang was recorded Sept. 27 on a surveillance camera going through the victim’s desk, the affidavit states. She was also recorded “taking photos and manipulating notebooks” on his desk, as well as rinsing out his mug with a liquid from her own mug.

UW Spokesperson Chad Baldwin said via email that he wasn’t aware of any derogatory comments related to the incident that have been directed at specific students. 

“I believe there have been some posts in the comment sections of news articles, or on social platforms where news articles have been posted, that were critical of some international students in general,” he wrote. 

Some social media comments criticized the university and U.S. higher education institutions generally for admitting international students at all, taking aim in particular at Chinese nationals. 

The university is following all normal processes in a student conduct proceeding and working with authorities, according to a school statement.

Maya Shimizu Harris covers public safety for WyoFile. She was previously a freelance writer and the state politics reporter for the Casper Star-Tribune.

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  1. “We are aware that the recent attempted poisoning on campus involving graduate students has led to hateful and racist remarks, particularly on social media,” Carolyn Pepper, vice provost and dean of the School of Graduate Education, wrote in an email….”
    Dean Pepper’s accusation of “hateful and racist remarks” is serious. The public needs to know who said what, when, where and if possible, why. The Dean’s comment is a conclusion not a fact. Facts are important. One person’s “hateful” or “racist” speech, may be another person’s honest assessment of a perceived problem. Perhaps the Dean was repeating someone else’s accusation, and if so, this should be revealed. Or, it could be, as Dean Pepper alleges, genuinely hateful and racist, in the eyes of most fair-minded people, were made “particularly on social media”. We don’t know.
    If the conclusion is accurate, it is a justifiably harsh condemnation. If it isn’t true, it is a serious liable against whoever was the target of the Dean’s remarks.
    I note in passing that Dean Pepper’s accusations are seemingly inconsistent with the remarks of University spokesman, Chad Baldwin. It doesn’t seem to me that both Pepper and Baldwin’s remarks on this matter can be true.
    Please develop this story further. “Who, what, when, where and why” would be appreciated.

    Reply

  2. Usually,men are the one’s doing stuff like this !

    The fact that a women would poison another women for spite ?
    There is more to this than what is being reported.

    Reply

    1. The person she poisoned was a male. The story states the surveillance camera caught her taking photographs and manipulating notebooks on HIS desk.

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