Years ago, Doug Little, Stony Brook Deputy Chief of PolicePatrol, collaborated with the Stony Brook administration to clean up afrequently vandalized rock near the main entrance and other graffiti aroundcampus. But although this infamous rock has since been graffiti-free, manyother vandalism problems on campus remain.
Last year, $40,000 dollars werespent on graffiti abatement. The Anti-Graffiti Task Force was formed within theStony Brook Police Department to address the issue. Statesman
Baycan Fideli, Head of Cleanup Operations at CampusResidences, began the meeting by describing the intricate and expensive processthat went into cleaning up the latest graffiti ‘?hit.’ Itwasn’t a scribbled ‘?Harry-Loves-Suzy,’ but writing by apossibly gang-related figure called Toxic that did over 10,000 dollars indamages.
‘?It wasn’t easy to clean-up. It was done withheavy, thick black markers,’ Fideli said.
‘?Sometimes students think they’re making apolitical statement,’ said Rabbi Joseph Topek, Director of Hillel.
Suzanne Benedetto, Detective Squad Commander added,’?This guy Toxic didn’t spell ‘Palestine’ correctly, sooften we’re dealing with people that just want attention.’
But who are these people who waste thousands of dollars intuition money every year?
Benedetto explained that because Stony Brook often hostsvisitors from community schools and elsewhere, many of the vandals may not evenlive or work at the university. But on-campus regulars are the ones who have todeal with the aftermath of the damage.
‘?[Graffiti] is a downer,’ Fideli said.’?It’s psychologically damaging to those that actually have to dealwith it.’
There are a number of skateboarders on campus who have beenrecently given warnings and even trespassing tickets. These individuals aresuspected of producing graffiti, but Benedetto said that the destruction hasmany sources.
Benedetto described a recent arrest on campus, in which aman in his thirties was found harboring some 80 permanent markers, writingmessages on trailers around campus.
A campus resident whose fraternity was involved in campusvandalism was killed at the Smith Haven Mall when police attempted to apprehendhim for his involvement in an elaborate credit card theft scheme.
The task force holds roundtable discussions to create toprevent future graffiti. Fideli mentioned the failed ‘?StopGraffiti’ campaign where stickers with this logo were displayed onfaculty vehicles. ‘?[This] would only encourage vandals,’ saidFideli.
The department is working to advocate a more positivelyfocused prevention program. One suggestion is an ad-campaign, comprised ofAnti-American foreign policy graffiti juxtaposed with an Anti-American foreignpolicy editorial news article.
‘?The impact of graffiti onesecond, [then] the impact of the news article,’ Fideli said.’?Priceless.’
Topek agreed. ‘?It’simportant that Stony Brook gets the message across that we’re not aboutsuppressing opinion.’
He outlined the Ohio WesleyanCollege plan, where students were permitted to write chalk graffiti inparticular zones around campus. At Stony Brook, fraternities and sororitiesare permitted to write their symbols and messages on rocks around campus,provided they keep up the rock and the surrounding area.
The group ultimately was concerned about sending amixed-message, and focused on deciding once and for all: What constitutesgraffiti, and what doesn’t?
‘?I’m against a sort of ‘if you can’tbeat ’em, join ’em’ philosophy,’ Little said.’?If it isn’t your property, you have no right to write on it as ifit were. We have to hit [graffiti vandals] legally.’
There was additional concern about gang-related activity andorganization on campus.
‘?There are gangs on campus, in this community, as theSmith Haven story emphasizes, and there is this element of violence anddrug-related activity that our campaign against graffiti has to stampout,’ Little said.
From the South P-Lot to the Student Union, vandals arehaving the time of their lives. The task force wants to emphasize othervenues, like the editorial pages of the newspaper, for creative and politicalexpression. Full-fledged campaigns to drive home this idea are on the horizon.
