Creighton University officials say Joe Ricketts won't be included in a campus event on Friday that will honor the contributions of outstanding alumni following several controversial e-mails that became public on Tuesday.
Ricketts, a 1968 Creighton grad, was to be recognized along with several other individuals for their contributions at the first-ever Evening of Honors event. Several e-mails dating back to 2009 included racist jokes and anti-Muslim sentiments, including one that said “Islam is a cult and not a religion.”
KFAB News has obtained an email sent to to Creighton alumni from university president, the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, indicating Ricketts will not receive the award.
"The news reports yesterday regarding Mr. Ricketts’ comments in personal emails do not reflect the values of our Jesuit, Catholic mission, including our focus on inclusiveness and diversity," Hendrickson wrote.
Ricketts has apologized for the emails saying he has "deep regret" and that the emails don't reflect his values.