Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Steve Berry Facilities Management employees scrub spray chalk from the blacktop Wednesday in front of the Morris University Center.

Two employees from Facilities Management worked on hands and knees Wednesday afternoon to remove spray chalk from the Stratton Quadrangle.

The spray chalk advertised a student-run blog.

Earlier at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, SIUE police met with a painter from Facilities Management who reported seeing graffiti on the quad sidewalks.

SIUE Police Lt. Kevin Schmoll said police determined the reported graffiti was spray chalk and the chalking had been approved by Kimmel Leadership Center. He said the police took no further action.

Around an hour later SIUE facilities management scrubbed the spray chalk away.

"Spray chalk is not chalk," Director of Facilities Management Bob Washburn said. "It was removed because of the media, not the message."

The message, submitted in writing to the Kimmel Leadership Center and approved, advertised a student run blog called "Plagiarism Scandal at SIU." The ads, written on the pavement in the middle of campus, were phrases like, "Can I plagiarize too?" and "Academic dishonesty? Academic terrorism."

Kimmel Leadership Center Director Steve Sperotto said when freshman Sara Hribik picked up her chalking and staking form, Kimmel Leadership Center staff members failed to tell her spray chalk is not allowed.

Students are required to get approval through Kimmel Leadership Center's chalking and staking form before writing on campus sidewalks with chalk. The form asks for contact information and an example of the message to be written on the pavement. Students are also to indicate on a map of the campus core where they will the writing.

Hribik said student organizations were e-mailed about the spray chalk rule.

"Since we are not a club, we didn't get the memo," Hribik said.

Current chalking and staking forms indicate in bold all-caps type, "If chalking, you may only use sidewalk chalk. Spray/paint chalk is not allowed."

The form, filled out by Hribik and approved by Kimmel Oct. 22, did not have that message.

Sperotto said spray chalk is not allowed because it is too permanent.

"It takes several rains before it finally washes off, and then it leaves a ghost effect," Sperotto said.

Washburn classified the spray on chalk as graffiti and said it was removed the same day it was noticed, which is in line with the campus policy to remove graffiti.

Hribik said she is not the first person to spray chalk on the pavement of the quad. She was surprised how quickly her message was washed away.

"I think it is weird how fast they did it," Hribik said.

Hribik rewrote her messages over the weekend, this time with traditional sidewalk chalk.

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