DuBois rally called off by organizers

Unspecified 'safety concerns' are cited A support rally around DuBois College House will not take place at 6 p.m. tonight as planned, according to two of the rally's organizers. The call for campus-wide support came after several DuBois residents received racially-harassing phone calls and bomb threats last Sunday night, forcing the evacuation of the building and a short-term ban on non-residents. In a letter sent to The Daily Pennsylvanian last week, 12 student leaders called for "all people of moral values to stand with us in?a unified front by standing together, hands linked, in a circle around the W.E.B. Dubois College House." But after considerable confusion among organizers at the DP offices, two of those leaders said last night that the rally would be cancelled for "safety and logistical issues." "The DuBois House Council has expressed their support for the rally," College senior Jun Bang and Wharton senior Bardo Ram'rez said in a joint statement. "However, concern about safety and logistical issues surrounding the rally have convinced us to call off the rally." Bang and Ram'rez, also the chairpersons of the United Minorities Council and Performing Arts Council respectively, would not comment on the "safety issues" involved in the cancellation, except to say the organizers received no pressure from either the administration or University Police. Some of the logistical problems included "the timing after fall break" and the "number of people involved in participating and organizing" the event, they said. Earlier in the evening, Sylvie Volel, wing representative for DuBois House Council, said the house council fully supported the idea of the rally. "The W.E.B. DuBois House Council endorsed the rally and the spirit in which the rally was organized," the College freshman said, dispelling rumors that the house attempted to veto the rally. "The house council appreciates all the support that the Penn community has shown us in the turmoil of recent events." Bang said many people seemed to be interested in participating in the rally. "A lot of people have contacted me and the Greenfield Intercultural Center to show their concern," she said. "The response has been strong support for the students of DuBois House." Black Student League President Kaplan Mobray, also one of the proposed event's 12 organizers, would not comment on the cancellation. But he said the safety and security issues being addressed in DuBois House as a result of Sunday's phone calls should have been addressed sooner. "It shouldn't take this kind of crisis and media attention to bring about structural changes in DuBois House that are already present in other college houses," he said. He said that since last week's threats, new lights have been installed in the basement and walls have been repainted. Mobray added it is a good idea for student leaders to support important causes as long as all interests are recognized. "I think it's good for student leaders to come together," he said. "I think it's important that the interests of many organizations around campus are heard and voiced. However, I think that when student leaders get together to make decisions that it is important to consider the actual decision that you're making and who is affected by it." Bang encourages student leaders to come together again in the future. "Even though the rally has been cancelled, the spirit of the rally should not end," she said. "We would hope that student leaders would continue to come together as a unified voice on issues as important as this and not to forget that we are all Penn students together."