NYPD probing hate crime at Staten Island college

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Officials at Wagner College are investigating a racially-charged vandalism spree that culminated with a noose being drawn around a photo of an African American student who was elected "queen" of an annual campus dance show.

In recent weeks, a minority student group, the Nubian Student Union, has had its "Songfest" banners and backdrops stolen and vandalized, and the group's candidate for "Songfest Queen," Ashlee Redmond, had her fliers torn down and, in some instances, defaced with racial slurs, including the n-word, said Wagner spokesman Lee Manchester.

That discovery has led college officials to call on the NYPD's Hate Crimes Unit to investigate the vandalism spree, a spokesman for the Grymes Hill college said yesterday.

The incidents spurred the school's dean of campus life, Ruta Shah-Gordon, to send a campus-wide e-mail on Friday afternoon -- prior to the discovery of the noose drawing -- decrying the vandalism.

"We are appalled and outraged that persons within our community think that this is acceptable or appropriate behavior," said the e-mail. "We do not condone this type of behavior and challenge each of you to confront and/or report such behavior as it is known to you. Please remember that staying silent or doing nothing when these incidents happen can be construed as agreement with the behavior."

On Saturday morning, Ms. Redmond found one of the fliers on her dorm door, with a noose drawn around her head. The school's public safety officials dusted the flier for prints, Manchester said.

"I was just disturbed, and I was really, you know, surprised and shocked that it would go this far," Ms. Redmond said in an interview with NY1.

"Songfest," Manchester explained, is a long-standing Wagner tradition -- an annual, choreographed dance show put on largely by members of the school's fraternities and sororities.

Prior to the noose drawing, Ms. Shah-Gordon had threatened in her e-mail to cancel the show if any other similar acts of vandalism were committed.

Even so, the school let the performance continue, though with a bigger security presence, Manchester said. All of the fraternities and sororities that performed announced their support for the Nubian Student Union, he said, calling Saturday night's program an inspiration.

"The gym was packed and everyone just raised the roof with cheers," he said. " 'Songfest' Saturday evening was one of the most inspiring events that I've ever been to."

The incidents sparked a spirited discussion last night in a race and ethnic relations class attended by about 30 students, including some members of the Nubian Student Union. And tomorrow at 6 p.m., NYPD Inspector Michael Osgood, who heads the department's Hate Crimes Unit, is slated to address the student body.

"I think that when they find whoever did this. they should be expelled in addition to being arrested," said one student, speaking on condition of anonymity. "I am disgusted to attend classes and share a community with whoever did this and felt it's acceptable."

John Annese is a news reporter for the Advance. He may be reached at annese@siadvance.com.