VIDEO: Racist Graffiti Causing Some to Consider Leaving UW Platteville 6pm 10/25/10

VIDEO: Racial Graffiti 10pm 11/23/2010

VIDEO: Rally Against Racism 6pm 11/30/2010

UPDATED: Wednesday, December 1, 2010 --- 5:22p.m.

Release from UW-Platteville:

University of Wisconsin-Platteville Chancellor Dennis J. Shields announced implementation of a "SAFE WALK" service for students and employees, effective immediately, as a commitment to the ongoing concern for the safety of the students and employees of UW-Platteville.

The "SAFE WALK" program is a free service to students and employees of the campus who want to be escorted anywhere on campus or within an approximate two-block distance off-campus between the hours of 5 p.m. and midnight, Sunday through Thursday for the remainder of the fall semester. The service will provide two student escorts to meet and accompany the person requesting the escort to her or his destination. The service began Wed., Dec. 1.

Anyone needing the service is to call (608) 342-1491 or come to the Info Desk of the Pioneer Student Center during the designated hours on the designated nights. The escorts will meet and accompany students and/or employees on foot to their destinations. Escorts will be identifiable by their official name tag and vest. Escorts will be trained and will have a criminal background check as a part of their qualifications for this service.

The UW-Platteville Police Department will provide escort services in cases where someone has no other option. The police may be called at (608) 342-1584 to request an escort. After hours, the call will be transferred to the Platteville Police Department.

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UPDATED Tuesday, November 30, 2010 --- 4:10 p.m.

**NOTE: This was submitted to NBC15 by the University of Wisconsin-Platteville**

More than 300 University of Wisconsin-Platteville faculty, staff and students demonstrated Tuesday afternoon against recent hate crimes on- and off-campus. Carrying signs that said things like, “Faculty Against Racism” and “Stop the Hate,” the group gathered outside the Pioneer Student Center before marching through the middle of campus and through nearby UW-Platteville buildings.

“The faculty, or a good portion of them, decided they wanted to show their support for students; to demonstrate that what’s been going on here is not the standard we adhere to; and to take positive action to support our students,” UW-Platteville Chancellor Dennis J. Shields said.

Dr. David Rowley, UW-Platteville professor of history, organized the hour-long rally.

“I wanted to be public,” he said. “I chose this location, because students come to the Pioneer Student Center for lunch. I wanted students to see the faculty.”

Rowley said a simple word-of-mouth method was used to gather the participants.

“I sent out five e-mails and said, ‘please send this to a friend,’ and it spread like wildfire across campus,” Rowley said. “So I knew we’d have a good turnout, and considering the cold weather, I’m glad we did.”

UW-Platteville is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading the arrest and/or conviction of the individuals perpetrating these crimes. Since the fall, 25 hate-based incidents have been reported on- or off-campus.

Three Madison television stations, as well as local and regional newspapers, were present at the rally.

In a question-and-answer session with the media, UW-Platteville’s chancellor was asked if he was particularly offended not just as the leader of the university but as a minority.

“I’m the chancellor of the whole university,” Chancellor Shields said. “I grew up in a small town in the Midwest. I have an abiding faith that the vast majority of people are positive people, but it would be wrong of me not to admit that it strikes very near and dear to my heart that this is going on. It’s sickening; it’s appalling; and we have to work through it. Good people have to stand up, and that’s what these folks are doing, to make known to everyone where we really come from.”

The first-year chancellor said he was pleased that the faculty made another statement with the rally.

“It is important to show the whole campus that the faculty, the academic leadership of this institution, is against these activities and also is supporting our students,” Chancellor Shields said.

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UPDATED Tuesday, November 23, 2010 --9:40pm
By Zac Schultz

Platteville: UW Platteville has been dealing with a racial graffiti problem for some time, with racial slurs written in campus buildings.

The racial graffiti moved off-campus Monday night when three black student leaders were directly targeted at their homes.

"These incidents have escalated beyond graffiti because of the direct personal threat," says Chancellor Dennis Shields.

Veronica Lewis is Treasurer of the Black Student Union. She says Monday night her group held a rally with 200 students promoting diversity. When the president of the group got home, someone had written a threat with the N-word in black marker on her door. "Her door had been vandalized, where someone wrote we're going to get you n-----. We get another call from the Secretary who made it home who says somebody kicked her door in."

A few minutes later, the vice-president called and said he found racial slurs written on his window outside his apartment.

"All of it was done with black marker," says Lewis. "It looked like the same individual had done it."

The university put all three students in a hotel for the night. "We've moved them to campus and we have our UW Platteville Campus Police watching where they are," says Shields.

"It takes what's been going on here for the last three months to a whole new level," says Prof. Carl Allsup, the Chair of the Ethnic Studies Department. "It puts tremendous pressure on our students of color. They have to be concerned now about their safety. If they weren't before, they have to be now."

"This is not just starting, it is just escalating," says Lewis. "The more comfortable the people feel like that they can do it, the worse it's going to get."

Platteville Police and UW Platteville Police are investigating with assistance from the FBI. The university has also offered a reward for information about these crimes.

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POSTED: Monday, October 25, 2010 -- 5:30 p.m.

By NBC15's Dana Brueck

Student leaders at the UW Platteville says the school's at risk of losing some minority students after repeated incidents of racist graffiti.

"At UWP, it's 'what college should be'... I feel as a black student on campus... this is not what college should be," Senior Darryl Meek says.

About a week ago, two racist threats were discovered, scrawled on the doors of two residence halls.

"I was agitated... highly upset...used words I can't use on camera," Junior Brittany Dupree says.

Then... another threatening message late last week.

The threats followed more than a dozen cases of offensive graffiti of all kinds this semester.

Junior Brittany Dupree is the president of the Black Student Union.

"...I broke down in tears..."

She calls it an ongoing problem.

"...thought here we go again... "

Last year, there were three reported incidents of racially charged graffiti.

Dupree wants the school to do more... saying the situation has a number of students thinking about leaving campus for good.

"We don't all need to come together to sing kumbaya... but just to know that while you're on campus that you need to respect the students of color here on campus .. and I don't think that has been done."

In response, a couple of student-led residence hall groups have come up with the "Not in Our House" campaign... pins, pledges and door decals as a visible sign of support for all students.

"That's a part of what these campaigns are about... getting other people connected in so other eyes are watching," Rhonda Viney says.

The chancellor has called for the campus to stand up -- and to speak up.

Viney, director of student housing, maintains what's happening here... happens everywhere.

"I do ... I truly believe that schools cover it up, don't want it to be known, trying to recruit," she says.

The Black Student Union says it's doing its part... trying to recruit the campus community to a forum Monday night to "Stand Against Racism."

A vigil, called "A Walk for Acceptance" also is taking place Thursday on campus.