The Virginia Informer

Last Updated:11/17/09 Section: News

credit : Alec Mckinley

The Office of Student Activities clamped down on chalking on campus paths and buildings this past week after a rise in pathway promotions by campus organizations. In a November 10 email to student organizations and officers, Ann Repeta of the Office of Student Activities stated, "Over the past few weeks the Office of Student Activities has noticed an increase in non-permitted chaulking [sic] of sidewalks around campus. Please note that CHAULKING [sic] is not permitted on campus at any time. It has always been our policy to keep the campus looking neat and clean for students, faculty, staff and the public. Chaulking [sic] distracts from our natural beauty, and takes away from the 'look' we want to portray to anyone visiting us." The email concluded with a threat of filing an incident report to the Dean of Students Office as a result of non-compliance by any campus organization.

The email was met with resistance and humor by some members of the Student Assembly. Michael Young ('11), Secretary of the SA's Department of Student Rights, stated via email, "Chalking does not detract from the natural beauty of campus, but, more realistically, presents an image of having a campus filled with organizations that are both vibrant and passionate about their issues and hosted events. It is the responsibility of the College to foster the type of intellectual discourse that the myriad of organizations and clubs on campus participate in; the current policy restricts student expression in this regard."

Similarly, SA Senator Erik Houser ('10) agreed with Young and even proposed a compromise while encouraging students to disregard the current rule: "Embarrassing spelling mistakes aside, the Office of Student Activities is pursuing an antagonistic and possibly unconstitutional policy here. Barring chalking in old campus alone might be more palatable, but as it stands now, the student body's right to free speech is clearly being violated. As everyone knows, chalking is not a permanent defacement, and washes off easily with the rain. I encourage all student organizations to continue to chalk on campus, regardless of what this silly rule says."

While the historical nature of the College certainly demands moderation in terms of creative license on the part of students, it remains unclear whether student organizations will fully abide by the Office of Student Activities' warning so long as vocal opposition persists.

Editor's Note: Michael Young serves as an Editor at Large for The Virginia Informer.

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