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Raleigh, North Carolina
RESPONSE TO TUNNEL INCIDENT CONTINUES ‘FROM THE STUDENT WHO WROTE THE MOST OFFENSIVE WORDS IN THE FREE EXPRESSION TUNNEL:’ This letter is written as an apology to the Free Expression Tunnel incident. Myself and 3 others were responsible for the acts committed in the Tunnel. The statements written in the Tunnel were written with political intentions in mind. I am aware that racial differences were brought into play by my words, but I want to ensure the university that no physical harm was intended. My intentions were simply to express my views on the outcome of the election, but went too far. I am very sorry for my actions and for the anger and fear brought to NC State. I am also ashamed of the bad light spread on this prestigious university. In addition to my apology, I want to assure the campus that there is no threat to anyone’s safety. I understand that my language was hateful and I am sorry for the distress I created. In order to restore peace to this university, I have decided, under my own initiative, to attend several workshops dealing with race relations and accepting diversity. I have realized that some of my preconceived ideas were prejudicial and wrong but I am trying to overcome these. I have also decided to participate in some community service activities. I hope peace and friendship can be restored on this campus and in the surrounding community.
‘FROM THE OTHER THREE STUDENTS WHO WERE WITH THE STUDENT WHO WROTE THE MOST OFFENSIVE WORDS:’ In addition to the previous statement, the three of us would also like to express our heartfelt remorse for our participation in the Tunnel acts. While we did not paint the controversial material, we still regret taking any part in this incident that has offended and upset this campus and community. Our intentions were not to do anything of the sort, and we understand that our actions were hurtful to many. In conclusion, the four of us would like to ask for forgiveness from this university and its student body.
TIM O’BRIEN/TECHNICIAN
Student Senate President Greg Doucette looks over an amendment proposal by Sen. Maritza Adonis while former senator James Hankins speaks to the rest of the Senate. Adonis, a junior in political science and author of the bill, spent the whole night trying to amend it to include provisions providing for the expulsion or suspension of the four students who wrote threatening and racially charged messages on the Free Expression Tunnel Nov. 5. The unaltered bill eventually passed 48 to 1, Adonis being the only senator in opposition.
SOURCE: NCSU WEB SITE
Senate discusses amendments to original hate bill, votes to pass it
Four students apologize for Free Expression Tunnel
Annie Albright
Derek Medlin
MEETING ON HATE CRIME BILL
Staff Writer
The Student Senate adopted Resolution 36 by a 48-to-one vote at their Special Meeting Wednesday regarding the hate crime bill. The bill calls for the individuals who wrote the racist remarks on the Free Expression Tunnel after Election Day to aware of and learn from their actions no matter how the University handles the situation, according to Kelli Rogers, Student Senate pro-tempore and junior in political science. The bill went to Rogers’ committee, the Senate Select Committee on Hate Crimes, after the Senate rejected fast-tracking it at the last Senate meeting. “Students will also be affected because I will not let this be put to rest until all of our policies have been seriously criticized and reevaluated — especially the harassment policy,� Rogers said. “It’s so vague now that
Managing Editor
Wednesday: 7:30 p.m.
The four students responsible for painting the racist remarks in the Free Expression Tunnel the morning after Election Day issued a formal statement Wednesday apologizing for their actions and asking for the forgiveness of the campus. The statement contained two parts and included an apology from a male student who wrote the offensive messages about Presidentelect Barack Obama and an apology from the other three students for their involvement in the incident. In the main portion of the statement, the student responsible for writing the messages said he wrote the messages with “political intentions in mind.� “My intentions were simply to express my views on the outcome of the election but went too far,� the statement said. “I am very sorry for my actions and for the anger and fear brought to N.C. State.� The student also expressed interest in taking part in community service and said he hoped the campus could heal.
Resolution 36 addressing the recent Hate Crimes was adopted on a 48 to 1 vote. Kelli Rogers, Senate pro-tempore, said the bill would affect students by ensuring that those involved would learn their lesson regardless of the University’s decision for punishment.
it is not that it does not cover these sorts of things, but that students do not understand what it covers and what the outcome of the actions and consequences are.� The bill the Senate passed was not the original bill filed, but was instead the bill from the committee meeting. “The bill was sent to the committee and it was changed completely,� Sen. Maritza Adonis, the orginal bill’s sponsor and junior in political science, said. “What we saw tonight was not my bill.� Although Adonis originally sponsored the bill, she said she voted against it to represent the 600 signa-
tures and those present who supported the original bill. The students who signed the petition were not provided with both the original and alternate forms of the bill said both Rogers and Adonis. After a motion to strike the alternate resolve clause and replace it with the original, Rogers said that the intent of the alternate was to strengthen the original bill. Senators Rogers and Adonis both reminded the senators to vote not for personal beliefs but for the students and groups they represented. Although the Student Senate fairs alright, Adonis said she did not think
APOLOGY continued page 3
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SENATE continued page 3
Derek Medlin Managing Editor
The Withers Bell, which sat atop Withers Hall for the last 70 years, was officially returned to the city of Raleigh Wednesday in a ceremony downtown. Matt Robbins, a graduate student in architecture who found the bell on top of Withers Hall two years ago, said he was glad to see the bell returned to the city. “It was a relief to get the bell back where it belongs — in the hands of the city and the Raleigh Fire Department,� Robbins said. “To have it returned was very gratifying.� Robbins and the University decided to give the bell — which the city originally owned — back after discovering it could not be used in the rennovation of the Bell Tower.
TIM O’BRIEN/TECHNICIAN
Channel 11 News interviews Matt Robbins, a graduate student in architecture, after the presentation ceremony for the Metropolitan bell to the fire department Wednesday. “This represents the founding of the Raleigh Fire Department in 1914,� Robbins said.
“In the beginning, the idea was to put the bell in the Bell Tower,� Robbins said. “When we discovered the bell was untuned and didn’t sound good, we decided to try and give it back to the city.� Robbins said the bell being
back with the city will allow citizens to learn about its historical nature. “I’m very excited this story culminated itself and that it ended in such a passionate ceremony,� Robbins said. “The response
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from the city, the public and the community has been overwhemingly positive. A piece of history has been put back in its rightful place and can now be learned from.� With the Withers Bell not being an option for the Bell Tower rennovation, scheduled to begin in early 2009, options for how to get a real bell in the Bell Tower are underway. Robbins, who serves as the chair of the Student Government Traditions Commission, said the commission is continuing work to try and get a real bell or several bells in the Bell Tower. “I have been assured that if a bell project is approved, the bells will be able to pass through during the rennovation of the Bell Tower,� Robbins said. “Now, we’re trying to explore the money and fundraising part of things.�
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Withers Bell back with Raleigh Fire Department City accepts bell at downtown ceremony
Watching their weight
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Student waitlist numbers increase Vice provost says students will still get classes they needs
“About 100 people are coming off the waitlist per night,� Hunt said. The number of students that can be waitlisted for each section Courtney Bolin is calculated according to the Staff Writer size of the class. This way larger classes will have larger waitlists The number of students wait- available to students than the listed this semester has increased, smaller classes. unlike last year, Vice Provost Hannah LaRoe, a sophomore and University in textiles, said RegistrarLouis she has waitlisted Hunt said. a class for the upThree thoucoming semester. sand eight hun“I’m pretty confidred and sevendent that I will get ty-one students into the class that Hannah LaRoe, a have waitlisted I have waitlisted,� sophomore in textiles at least one class LaRoe said. for the spring She has already semester. Of these students 1,842 moved up two spots since she are freshmen, 1,233 are sopho- waitlisted the class. mores, 955 are juniors and 511 LaRoe said she thinks the waitare seniors, Hunt said. WAITLIST continued page 3
“The waitlist system is pretty efficient.�
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