Duke graffiti stirs up concern

The discovery of anti-gay graffiti on the East Campus Bridge at Duke University toward the end of May re-opened the barely healed wounds between the Duke College Republicans and their former members.

The graffiti specifically referred to former Duke College Republicans Chairman Justin Robinette, who claimed that his homosexuality was the cause of his April impeachment and continual harassment through the summer.

After Duke Student Affairs attempted to mediate a reconciliation between college republican members and those who resigned after Robinette’s impeachment, the group’s former Vice Chairman Cliff Satell filed a complaint with the Duke University Conduct Board on Monday.

“Having token conversations with each side and politely requesting that everyone play nice is NOT dealing with the situation,” Satell wrote in an e-mail, in which he explained his decision to take further action.

Satell’s testimony was submitted through the university’s judicial process for undergraduate conduct.

His complaints involved the bridge graffiti, an e-mail he received from a Duke College Republican that he interpreted as blackmail, and an incident in which a former member’s dorm room name tag was overwritten with the word “fa—ot.”

Duke University Police are continuing to investigate the graffiti incident. The graffiti read: “Lying F-g Robinette, DCR = Righteous, get AIDS in hell.”

“I am pursuing all avenues to continue to fight the culture of continued intimidation and harassment directed at my and others’ sexuality at Duke,” Robinette said.

He added that he is concerned with the response he’s received from the Duke administration.

It is unclear whether the dorm name tag incident, e-mails and various text messages are being  further investigated as potentially actionable violations of student conduct.

Duke University Police could not be reached for comment.

“This particular situation is very complex,” said Larry Moneta, Duke’s vice president of student affairs. “We’re doing sort of everything at every level.

“We’re sort of coordinating a set of responses specific to the individuals and contemplating what’s the best and most inventive way to turn it into the a teachable moment for the campus.”

But that teachable moment could be difficult to find during the summer when most Duke students don’t even know their bridge had ever been defiled, Moneta said.

Satell said he would have expected the administration to send out a campuswide e-mail condemning the graffiti and asking for tips if anyone knew how it happened.

“We’re seeing if there is any action to be taken against the university for remaining silent in response to this,” Robinette said.

Travis Rapp, a senior representative of the Duke College Republicans, said he was shocked to hear of the graffiti.

“As a student who takes great pride in my school, I find it hard to believe that any Duke student would be capable of such an action,” Rapp stated in an e-mail.

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.