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Another day, another incident and another protest on DePauw campus
For the second consecutive day Wednesday, student protest stopped a scheduled event on the DePauw University campus.
This time it was a press conference at Watson Forum in the Center for Contemporary Media at which DPU President Mark McCoy and Vice President Alan Hill were attempting to provide information concerning the Tuesday night protest during the Jenna Fischer Ubben Lecture at Kresge Auditorium and its aftermath.
About 50 students, carrying signs that included such statements as "DePauw protects racists" and "We are not safe #DePauw KKK" and "Black Lives Matter" interrupted the press conference with the message, "Meet our demands; we are not safe."
The action came after at least six racially biased incidents have been reported on campus over the past week.
Earlier in the day, student activists had reportedly emailed a list of eight demands to President McCoy, enumerating campus changes being sought in the wake of the recent incidents.
The latest incident was another racial slur left in a bathroom, this time in a message left on a toilet paper dispenser in Lucy Rowland Hall, it was reported via email to students and staff by campus security.
All the incidents remain under investigation and a reward is reportedly being offered for information leading to the arrests of "the despicable individuals who perpetrated these threats," The DePauw campus newspaper reported on its website, noting that the FBI has reportedly been contacted.
During the press conference President McCoy said the goal of Wednesday's gathering was to address the next steps the university needs to take as a campus.
Following the press conference, students protesters marched down Locust Street to the Administration Building.
Later Wednesday, actress Jenna Fischer, best known as Pam on the sitcom "The Office," commented on her DPU campus appearance that was interrupted about 15 minutes into the program by student protesters.
She tweeted out a message stating in the aftermath of the incident, she was donating the full amount of her appearance money from the university to the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League and the Trevor Project in the name of DePauw students.
"My hope is for all people to be respected, accepted and loved for their individuality and uniqueness," Fischer's tweet stated. "And, above all, to be safe."
She explained that just before taking the Kresge Auditorium stage Tuesday night with Ken Owen, special adviser to President McCoy, university representatives advised her some demonstrations could occur during the event, informing her of the recent campus incidents.
"Needless to say, I was shocked and upset to hear what was happening on their campus," Fischer's tweet continued.
The students have been protesting recent campus incidents that have included:
* A racist threat in a restroom at The Inn at DePauw last Wednesday.
* A homophobic and an anti-Semitic message also found in a restroom.
* An incident of a student engaging in offensive behavior, reportedly wearing blackface, at The Duck (the bar at The Inn at DePauw).
* The N-word formed by rocks in the nature park.
* A racial slur scrawled on a toilet seat in another restroom.
When student protesters spoke out Tuesday night about their experiences "and about the hate they have been encountering," Fischer said she could "feel the pain, sadness and fear coming from these students."
"No student should feel at risk or have to suffer the kinds of bigotry and hate these students have encountered. These students need to be heard and they need change."
Meanwhile, in a tweet following the protest, the university said, "safety and security remain our highest priority and we will continue working through this situation."