David Jesse

Detroit Free Press

A peaceful sit-in protest at Eastern Michigan University's student center has four students facing possible expulsion from the university.

The university "says they support us, but they are threatening to expel us," Michael Wood, of Ypsilanti, a senior secondary education student told the Free Press on Wednesday afternoon. "We've protested around campus multiple times. They say they support us, but that's lip service. They feel that if they cut off the head of the group the protests will go away. There's more than four of us."

The protest took place during the early morning hours of Nov. 2. Black students, continuing a string of marches and protests following the spray painting of several racist sayings around campus, marched into the student center. They chanted for a bit and then settled in to do homework and talk.

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Police officers warned the group they would have to leave the student center when it closed around 1 a.m or face the consequences of violating the student code of conduct. About half the group left. Police returned after 2 a.m. and specifically ordered the protesters to disperse. They then recorded the protesters on video and formally told them if they stayed they would be in violation of the student code of conduct and could face expulsion.

The group stayed until 6 a.m. or so.

Then, several students began getting notices from the university that they faced disciplinary action.

Woods' e-mail says he faces charges of disruptive behavior, failure to comply and violating policies regarding the use of campus facilities. He has a hearing on the charges at 2 p.m. Thursday. The other three students to get similar letters have already had hearings and are awaiting their punishment.

The university had no choice but to bring the charges, spokesman Geoff Larcom said, adding the student code doesn't allow for judgment calls on a case-by-case basis. "It's the student code. You can't pick and choose" what to enforce.

Following the discovery of the latest graffiti on the east side exterior of Ford Hall late last month, Eastern President Jim Smith said in an e-mail to the campus that he was upset by the incidents.

"There is no place on our campus for these kinds of hateful actions, and I am deeply angry and saddened that it occurred," Smith said. "The deeper and systemic issues that are behind these incidents continue to be a focus for our student leaders, our faculty, our administration and all who care about this institution and the welfare of our students. These incidents run counter to the values and mission of the University and our actions over the past several weeks and going forth have and will continue to reflect that."

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The first set of graffiti showed up in September when the letters "KKK" — seemingly referencing the Ku Klux Klan — and racial slurs were found spray-painted. An EMU employee told the Free Press that staff members in the Julia Anne King Hall discovered the graffiti on the walls in the courtyard of the building. The letters "KKK" were painted in red, white and blue, according to a picture provided to the Free Press by an EMU employee who works in the building. The rest of the message said "Leave," followed by a racial slur for black people.

A racial slur was found in the stairwell of Wise Hall at Eastern Michigan University the next day. Students have led a number of marches against racism and also protested during a football game, including entering the field when the game ended in a peaceful protest.

The school has doubled the reward money in the incidents to $10,000 and has been investigating several tips.

"Students are not feeling safe on this campus," Wood said. "This is trauma. We haven't been heard."

Faculty have also taken up for the students. More than 1,100 people have signed a petition against the move.

Faculty also sent around an open letter against the university's move: "It is simply inconceivable that Black students should find themselves shut out of EMU for peacefully sending a symbolic challenge to racist messages telling them that the university is no place for them," the letter says.

Wood said the university is sending a clear message to him and other black students by registering the misconduct charges against them.

"I took it like, 'Shut up or leave,' " Wood said. "They are already in a morally corrupt position. This is just more of that.

"We're going to continue protesting. We're also trying to be support for ourselves because Eastern isn't doing it."

Contact David Jesse: 313-222-8851 or djesse@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@reporterdavidj