Updated: 3:08 p.m.

On the first day of classes at Oregon State, a Confederate flag was hanging in a window across the street from the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center.

The flag was photographed hanging in a window of a church-owned men's co-op in Corvallis on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The co-op, and the window with the flag, face the center.

The co-op, called "The Pillar," is, according to its sign, "a student resource center" provided by the Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship. It offers living accommodations for men. Chi Alpha released a statement Wednesday saying the flag was displayed by a student unaffiliated with the organization, and it has asked for the flag to be removed.

According to Benton County records, the building is owned by the Assemblies of God Church.

"We're very disappointed by the flag's presence," Steve Clark, Vice President of University Relations at Oregon State said Wednesday afternoon.

He called the flag "a representation of slavery and racism" and said it would be disappointing to see it "anywhere in Corvallis, certainly across the street from the black culture center."

Clark said that OSU created the Lonnie B. Harris center in the 1970s and that the college has been committed to improving inclusivity on the campus since that time.

"We've celebrated diversity for 40 years or more and so incidents like this are very unfortunate," he continued. "They really don't describe the Corvallis community."

But, he added, "We do recognize we have a long way to go in being a fully inclusive community in Oregon, Corvallis and at Oregon State."

Incidents like this are challenging he said, but OSU will not allow this to get in the way of its work towards honoring and encouraging diversity on campus.

"We can't stop," Clark said, adding that the annual Black Connect event at the center will take place Wednesday evening as scheduled.

"As a community," he said, "we're not going to let this flag disrupt this celebration."

On Wednesday afternoon, Chi Alpha Campus Ministries posted a statement about the flag on its website, which read: "Chi Alpha Campus Ministries is a ministry of the Assemblies of God, which is among the most ethnically diverse religious movements in the U.S. We abhor racism in any form."

"One of the tenants of The Pillar, a property owned by Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, has recently placed a confederate flag covering the inside of their window," the statement continued, "This student is not affiliated with Chi Alpha and has been asked to remove the flag but has refused. We are currently exploring our options under the law to have this remedied as soon as possible. Chi Alpha wholly rejects any racist implications of this action and welcomes students from all backgrounds."

Wednesday was the first day of classes for many students at OSU and The Pillar is on Monroe Avenue, a busy thoroughfare during the school year, with many restaurants serving students.

Jared Purdy, a resident of The Pillar, said over Facebook Messenger on Wednesday that while he thinks the consensus in the neighborhood is that the flag should be taken down, he disagrees, "even if it was a symbol of hate, which it's not."

"People can do whatever they want," he continued. "Everyone caters to the feelings of those offended these days."

The Pillar is off campus, though it is directly across the street, meaning it is in the jurisdiction of the City of Corvallis. On Wednesday, Patrick Rollens, spokesperson for the City of Corvallis, said, "This is probably more of an issue of free speech."

"Our jurisdiction over things like that is pretty limited to just code compliance," he said, but added the city does have an advisory board working on issues of "social justice."

Mayor of Corvallis Biff Traber said over email that this was the first he had heard of the flag at The Pillar.

"I do know that such behavior as hanging a Confederate flag across from the black cultural center is wrong," he wrote. "It is against the values of this community and my own values."

"However," he added, "this may be an example of someone expressing his or her views which are protected in this country."

Lt. Cord Wood, spokesperson for Corvallis Police Department, confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the flag was there.

"There's not a criminal complaint or statute for us to enforce,"he said.

"I did talk to someone from OSU," he added. "They can decide whether that violates their conduct code or not."

The OSU Student Code of Conduct does not allow "Discriminatory Harassment," which it defines as "Any unwelcome conduct or action, based on actual or perceived status (sex, gender identity or expression, race, color, age, genetic information, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation or other protected statuses), which is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with a person's academic or work performance, or limits or denies a person their ability to fully participate in or benefit from the university's programs, services, opportunities, or activities."

It is unclear if the person responsible for hanging the flag is a student at Oregon State.

Messages have been placed with officials at OSU administration and at the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center and the Office of Institutional Diversity, which has a "Bias Incident Response Process."

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker