EMail This Page - Print

Laura Teegarden

The rule banning Registered Student Organizations from writing on sidewalks with chalk was lifted with little fanfare May 10.

The Agility and Efficiency Task Force, created by Chancellor Walter Wendler to address issues raised by students and faculty, approached the director of Student Development, Katherine Sermersheim, when initially investigating the rule.

When approached by task force about the policy, Sermersheim didn't realize the policy was solely under her jurisdiction.

"I assumed it was more of a University-wide policy," Sermersheim said.

After looking further into the issue, she found that the ban on chalking was an old Student Development policy that had been in effect for more than 15 years.

Sermersheim decided to change the policy after the spring semester ended. She planned on informing the campus in the fall, when the students return.

"It's a valuable, inexpensive and effective way for RSO's to communicate," said Nate Brown, president of Undergraduate Student Government.

Austin Rigney, sailing instructor for the SIU sailing club, was unaware of the change in the policy and said he would have used written on sidewalks to advertise the club's summer events if had he known about the rule change.

Rigney said he is glad the University lifted the ban because the club had used chalking to advertise at the beginning of each semester until the ban on chalking was heavily enforced last year.

"I think it's great," Rigney said. "That was our primary way of advertising."

The Agility and Efficiency Task Force Report, which was distributed as the faculty senate meeting Monday, states that chalk "is an inexpensive way for Registered Student Organizations to advertise events and the clean up is minimal."

Though the issue has been resolved, Rigney said he hopes other Registered Student Organizations don't take advantage of the new policy and write on breezeways, walls, or other places where it is difficult for rainfall to wash the chalk away.

The implementation of the new policy was good sign because students were expressing concern about the ban and the University did something about it, Brown said.

"Everybody's happy," Sermersheim said. "It's a win-win situation."

Reporter Laura Teegarden can be reached at laura_teegarden@dailyegyptian.com