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I'm an alumnae of PSU. Last I was updated Battaglia has NOT apologized (and I don't see that stated in the article you posted) and adamantly refuses to do so. I've attached below the article that refers to the vote of confidence that Battaglia received.
There was subsequently another meeting this week between campus leaders and University officials, during which the College Republicans tried turn this situation onto themselves, claiming to be victims of harrasment by Black students who reported this to the media instead of trying to utilize University avenues first. If the alumni and others weren't informed trust this would have been swept under the rug. Unfortunately, some things never change.
PSU student group defends leader
College Republicans stir up controversy at Halloween party
Sunday, December 07, 2003
By Dennis B. Roddy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Penn State's College Republicans issued a vote of confidence in their
chairman this weekend after he posted photos from a Halloween party
that mocked blacks, Catholics, gays, and fraternity and sorority
members.
The group praised Chairman Brian Battaglia for "vision and
leadership" and thanked him "for his continued and steadfast service
during stressful times for the club."
The stressful times began last week, when Battaglia's personal Web
site offered outsiders a vision of his recent Halloween party.
Guests -- many of them associated with the club -- came in costumes
ranging from blackface, to a klansman, to a "sodomized" fraternity
pledge, sorority prostitutes and, in one case, a priest on the make.
"They apparently spent the evening skewering just about everybody
except themselves," said Bill Mahon, the university's vice president
for public affairs.
Mahon said he wrote to Battaglia and suggested he issue an apology.
Battaglia replied with an e-mail informing Mahon that the photos were
copyrighted.
"In order to legally possess these pictures, you must have my
expressed written consent. Since you lack this permission, I advise
you destroy them immediately," Battaglia wrote.
Battaglia previously issued a written statement, first published in
the campus newspaper, The Daily Collegian. He suggested the group was
under fire because it "stands staunchly opposed to the mindset held
by the radical left on college campuses across the country."
The photos included one of the group's more prominent members, former
Penn State student government leader Jason Covener, in blackface and
carrying a bicycle chain.
The costume mocked Penn State student government Vice President
Takkeem Morgan.
Morgan, who is black, was prosecuted earlier this year in connection
with the theft of a bicycle.
"Apparently Takkeem was released long enough to come to our party. We
thank the local police department," the photo caption reads.
Other photos included a shot of a student in full clerical garb
drinking a beer with his left hand, a bottle of liquor in his right,
and a caption saying: "I guess they drink before they go get to the
boys."
Women attending the party dressed as "sorostitutes" -- a reference to
Penn State sorority members.
One young man appeared as an "over-sodomized fraternity pledge" with
strategically placed artificial bloodstains on his trousers and face.
One student dressed as a klansman but apparently was able to locate
only a blue sheet for his robes and a hood that lacked a point.
Racial controversies are not new at the Penn State main campus in
rural Centre County.
In 1999, police investigated hate e-mails sent to black students, and
a year later someone mailed hate letters and death threats to black
students, including members of the football team.
Only 4 percent of the students enrolled at the main campus are black.
The College Republicans have no black members.
"I think it's much ado about nothing," Covener said yesterday. "I
think anytime a white person puts on blackface, there are certain
elements, especially here on a university campus, that will look for
any reason they can to be offended and will use it as an
opportunistic means to push their agenda."
Covener was suspended from Penn State four years ago after he pleaded
guilty to planting spy software on a computer used by rivals in
student government. Since then, he said, he has returned as a part-
time student.
Tiffanie Lewis, president of Penn State's Black Caucus, yesterday
demanded Battaglia's resignation as well as those of any member of
the College Republicans serving in student government.
"Some of those students on the pictures are on decision-making
committees," Lewis said. "I would like to see their resignations as
well."
David Davis, a member of the Black Caucus, said the Web site photos
were part of "a pattern" of conduct by Battaglia's group.
"They have in the past kind of pushed the envelope," Davis said.
He cited an event earlier this year when the campus gay students
group held a "gay coming-out day," and the College Republicans
countered with a conservative coming-out day.
One College Republican, Cathy Carre, resigned last week, citing both
the Web photos and the conservative coming-out day program as her
reasons.
Other members of the group, however, filled a room in one of Penn
State's academic halls late Friday and unanimously passed a
resolution praising Battaglia.
"I'm still behind him," said Shauna Moser, listed as the
group's "chief information officer."
She declined further comment other than to say she attended the
Halloween party dressed as a biker.
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