When Ball State University sophomore Jeff Nevolo arrived on campus Tuesday morning, he was stunned to see the word "hate" surrounded by a circle with a line through it on the south side of Bracken Library.
"I was a little surprised," Nevolo said outside of the library. "It took me a second, but it has a good message."
The vertical, blue "Stop Hate" banner, 50 feet by 30 feet, displayed 3,252 signatures Tuesday after nine counseling psychology graduate students spent the past two weeks collecting the signatures in Teachers College and the Art and Journalism Building. The banner will remain on the library for 10 days.
"I think what you see is nine very proud parents today because this is our baby," said Tim Gordon, a third-year doctoral student in counseling psychology.
At least six men from Ball State's Facilities Planning and Management and Muncie's SA Boyce Corp. spent two hours hanging the banner. It went up at about 10:30 a.m., said Erin Snyder, a second-year doctoral student in counseling psychology.
The students in Lawrence Gerstein's social justice class created the banner in response to the racial incidences that occurred on campus last semester, which included black students being yelled at by drivers. The banner would have cost about $3,000 if created professionally, so the students used their budget of $500 to purchase paint materials and a tarp from Lowe's home improvement store last month.
"We feel great," Snyder said. "We really appreciate all of the support on campus for the campaign, and it really shows people really do appreciate the 'Stop Hate' campaign."
Several university and city officials, such as President Jo Ann Gora, Teachers College Dean Roy Weaver and Muncie Mayor Dan Canan, also signed the banner. Many students noticed the banner while passing through the area Tuesday and wanted to find their signatures, while others wished they had signed it, Snyder said.
Sophomore Mike Randazzo said he did not hear about the banner until Tuesday but appreciated the group of students who were proactive in encouraging the university to hang it.
Sophomore Leroy Smith, however, signed the banner during its first week. Smith, who grew up in diverse East Chicago and lived several years in Munster, did not understand the reality of discrimination until traveling to southern Indiana and noticing racial issues at Ball State this year, he said.
"I was like, wow, that's a big poster," Smith said. "I didn't expect it to be that big, and I didn't expect it to be hung up anywhere. I think this is a big step for Ball State.
And although some people believe the banner is not enough, it is only a spark for further discussion on racism, sexism and other social issues, Snyder said.
"This was a way we could raise awareness and start people talking," Snyder said. "This was just a beginning."
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