Members of Eastern’s community met for a second rally at the Doudna steps at noon Friday to express their disapproval of Eastern’s administration for erasing a chalk message calling for help from an unnamed survivor of sexual assault.

The erased message was written a week ago and originally consisted of capitalized letters written in multiple colors of chalk on the Doudna steps. It read, “MY RAPIST STILL GOES HERE… WILL SOMEONE PLEASE LISTEN TO ME?” and was scrubbed away under orders from the Office of Student Affairs Thursday with a brush and soapy water.

Now, Eastern community members have chalked new messages on the steps including: “WE EXPECT TO WORK ON A CAMPUS THAT SUPPORTS VICTIMS. WE WILL LISTEN,” “YOU CAN ERASE THIS IT STILL HAPPENS!” “STOP SILENCING VICTIMS,” and “I WILL NOT BE SILENCED.”

Around these messages, more than 100 names are now written in chalk on the Doudna steps by community members to show support for survivors of sexual assault.

One signature was from Lorenza Branecki, a senior music major. By her name she wrote, “I hear you.”

Branecki said she was appalled the original message was erased and she no longer felt like part of the community.

“I don’t feel like I’m EIU,” she said. “I think we should be afraid to tell people to come here.”

Branecki said she thinks it is bothersome that Eastern seemed to cover up the issue.

“I sure hope that young woman talked to someone,” she said. “It should have never been brushed under the rug.”

During the rally, one Eastern student climbed the concrete steps to address the crowd. Taylor Davis, a senior communication studies major, said though he did not organize the rally, he thought it would be a waste if someone did not say something.

From the steps, Davis asked the crowd why they had gathered there.

Members of the crowd said they were there to support survivors of sexual assault, others said they were there to stop the silence.

In response to Davis’ question, English professor Christopher Hanlon said, “Because I don’t think sexual assault is a PR problem.”

Hanlon said there is a sense of radical disconnect between students and administrators.

“Like most of my colleagues, I’m bothered that there are so many victims of sexual violence on this campus,” he said. “But I’m especially bothered by what strikes me as extraordinarily bad judgment on someone’s part in having a message written by an EIU student, someone who survived such an assault, erased.”

Dan Nadler, the vice president for student affairs, said Facilities, Planning and Management workers, who were asked to wash away chalk throughout the campus, erased the message. He said the content of the message was not a factor in the decision.

“The nice thing about Eastern is you can chalk wherever you want, but the not-so-nice thing about Eastern is that things begin to look like an eyesore and looks kind of trashy,” Nadler said.

Dave Crockett, associate director of Facilities, Planning and Management, said there is no schedule for when chalk should be cleaned up around campus. He said it is usually done after the chalk builds up.

Crockett said chalk is cleaned up less often in cold weather because the water can freeze and form a safety hazard.

Davis said he was confused when he saw the original message was erased.

“It feels like everything goes stale on these steps,” he said. “Everything stays up there for too long, even important messages. To see something that powerful come down that quickly, I knew that wouldn’t be the last of that sentiment, that issue.”

Angie Hunt, a Charleston resident and survivor of sexual assault, said she was unable to see the original message before it was erased. Having survived sexual assault, she said she was upset by the university’s response and Nadler’s explanations for the erasure.

“What I would say is that sex offenders are trashy, and sweeping it under the carpet is trashy,” she said.

Hunt said she was frustrated with Eastern’s administration.

“Being a survivor, it was outrageous because, once again, when someone had the courage to speak up, someone wanted to shut that down,” Hunt said. “That’s not OK.”

Hunt said she was encouraged by the authors of the original message.

“I am incredibly proud and grateful to the group of people who wrote the original message, and I want them to know what heroes they are,” she said.

Hunt said she is tired of fighting the same battle over and over again against the stigma of being a survivor of sexual assault, and the lack of support and belief for survivors.

During the rally, Hanlon said to the crowd that this situation will only grow bigger.

“If the only way to get (Eastern’s administration’s) attention is with a public relations problem, then perhaps the thing to do is create a huge public relations problem,” he said.

Hunt agreed with Hanlon.

“Keep the momentum going, that’s the big thing,” she said. “Don’t forget this. Don’t let them sweep this under the carpet.”

At 3:13 p.m. Friday Nadler sent an email to the staff of The Daily Eastern News detailing Eastern’s response to the chalk messages. The response was later posted on Eastern’s Facebook page.

In the response, Nadler said the chalked messages made it clear that Eastern needs an extensive campaign to make students aware of the resources available to prevent sexual assault and to help survivors of sexual assault.

He said Sandy Cox, director of the Counseling Center, will lead the campaign. Nadler said the faculty and staff at Eastern consider reports of sexual assault to be of utmost concern and seriousness.

Seth Schroeder, Tim Deters and Chacour Koop can be reached at 581-2812.