Pamela Engel
For The Post
The Ohio University Police Department has dispatched officers to Nelsonville to assist local and national law enforcement's investigation of a racial threat discovered at Hocking College last week.
Graffiti threatening the safety of black students was discovered in a residence hall bathroom last Friday, according to Hocking officials. The threat stated there would be an act of violence against the students on Feb. 2.
Since discovering the threat, Hocking College has increased public surveillance and police presence on campus. Both the Ohio Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are involved in the investigation, and OUPD has sent officers to assist with security.
OU Police Chief Andrew Powers said the number of on-duty officers at OU will not change and an unknown number of off-duty officers will work overtime at Hocking College.
This incident is a rare occurrence in our campus community
but it offends us and upsets us deeply said Hocking College President Ron Erickson in a video statement.
The college will offer alternative housing for students who feel threatened. Any student who wishes to leave campus must work with faculty to make up missed coursework, Erikson said, assuring students that the campus is safe.
Hocking College has initiated a swift and strong response that focuses on the safety of its students said Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi in an e-mail to students Tuesday.
Nearly 400 of Hocking College's 6,300 students - about 6 percent - are black, according to The Columbus Dispatch. OU has a similar percentage of black students, who made up about 5 percent of the main campus' 20,537 students in 2008.
While OU has not heightened its security, students were encouraged to report discrimination on campus to OUPD, the dean of students' office or Residence Life, Lombardi said.
Both Lombardi and Jim Sand, OU's director of Judiciaries, said there have been no similar incidents at OU in recent years.
Written threats against a group of students would be considered discrimination or mental or bodily harm to others under OU's Code of Conduct, Sand said.
Some OU students said the threat at Hocking College has not made them worry about their safety in Athens.
I didn't know it was an actual threat
said Alan Grigsby, an OU senior studying criminology.
The message reflects the views of only a minority of the local population, Grigsby added.
Sam Freeman, an OU junior studying marketing, agreed.
I think the proper precautions will be taken
Freeman said. It's sad that something like that has to happen.
Crime Solvers Anonymous and Hocking College are offering a $2,000 reward and a $3,000 reward, respectively, for any information leading to an arrest or indictment. Pending a conviction, anyone willing to testify will receive an additional $2,000.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Crime Solvers Anonymous at (740) 594-3331.
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Caitlin Bowling
