Vandalism spurs resolution

KU Student Senate's Multicultural Affairs and Students Rights committees will vote Wednesday night on a resolution that would help students take action against hate crimes on campus.

The resolution was written after members of Alpha Epsilon Pi, a fraternity for Jewish men, discovered graffiti on the sign in front of their house at 1116 Indiana St. on Nov. 10.

Vandals wrote "[expletive] you Jews" in gold spray paint between 2 and 7:30 a.m. The damage was reported to Lawrence police and covered up with blue spray paint before founding members of Alpha Epsilon Pi and parents of current members arrived in Lawrence later that day for Parents Weekend.

Jason Oruch, current member of Alpha Epsilon Pi and KU student senator, said he and his fraternity brothers talked to members of the local Jewish community about what could be done. The fraternity ultimately decided to have Oruch draft a hate crime resolution that would help future victims.

"They really thought a resolution would be the best way to do this," Oruch said. "We can not only help our house but everybody on campus who has had a hate crime committed against them. People are too often forgotten about."

The person or people who vandalized the sign have not been identified. The parking garage near Gertrude Sellards-Pearson Residence Hall has a camera, but it was not facing in the direction of the Alpha Epsilon Pi house when the crime occurred.