Graffiti drawings appeared Wednesday

Graffiti was found on the side of Kent Hall on Wednesday. Shaye A. Painter | Daily Kent Stater

Credit: DKS Editors

Two graffiti drawings appeared on the sides of Kent Hall between the Kent Hall addition and the wall facing McGilvrey Hall Wednesday.

Robert Misbrener, associative director of Campus Environment and Operations, said he is aware of the graffiti and notified painters to remove it as soon as possible. He said he did not know who did it, but he reported it to the police as vandalism.

To remove the graffiti, Misbrener said it could cost between $100 and several thousand dollars depending on the damage to the building.

He said a chalking on the side of Oscar Ritchie Hall appeared yesteray morning, which, according to university policy, is graffiti because it’s not on a horizontal surface or sidewalk where rain could easily wash it away.

Misbrener said if the graffiti contains anything objectionable, it is placed on emergency removal status and is covered by plastic to obscure it from view.

But for the most part, Misbrener said he considers graffiti to be a moderate problem.

“It seems to come in groupings,” he said. “Sometimes we won’t have anything, or we’ll have a rash of it, and then it fades again.”

Lindsay Rinehart, senior English major, said she doesn’t think the graffiti on Kent Hall is “the greatest ever,” but it also doesn’t bother her.

“Generally, if it’s tasteful, artistic and has a point of view, I support it,” she said. “If it’s tasteful, I don’t think it comprises the integrity of the university or anything.”

Stephanie Black, freshman fashion design major, said she doesn’t mind graffiti, either, calling it “an art that shouldn’t be censored.”

But she also described it in a different way.

“Graffiti is sort of like marking your territory.”

She paused.

“Kind of like a dog.”

Contact buildings and grounds reporter at Jinae West at [email protected].