Groups seek Campus Copy boycott

In response to last week's alleged racially motivated assault at Campus Copy Center, students from more than a dozen Penn activist and minority organizations distributed flyers and circulated petitions yesterday. These efforts, held on Locust Walk and outside both Campus Copy Center locations on Walnut Street, ultimately yielded an e-mail statement from University President Judith Rodin yesterday afternoon. "We are taking this matter very seriously," Rodin said in the statement. "However we will not pass judgement until a thorough investigation has been conducted and facts are known." The groups were acting in response to the claims of Gregory Seaton, a third-year doctoral student in the Graduate School of Education, who said store employees first denied him service and then assaulted him. Representatives of Campus Copy deny the allegations of a racially motivated assault. University Police are currently investigating the incident, which officials originally classified as a simple assault. In yesterday's statement, Rodin said that the University community should remain calm while Penn Police investigate the allegations. "The investigation will be conducted as quickly as possible. Once the investigation is complete, we will determine what actions, if any, are required on the part of the University," she continued. But leaders of campus groups urged Penn to take action. "So often things go on and there's not constant communication between the University and student groups or the parties involved," UMOJA President and College sophomore Kimberly Noble said. Noble said that the University -- a major client of Campus Copy, where the majority of course bulkpacks are printed -- should carefully examine the incident. But student groups are circulating a petition to demand expedient action. Their requests include a boycott of Campus Copy Center until investigations are complete and that Penn look into increasing alternatives for the printing of bulkpacks. According to Noble, around 250 Penn community members signed the petition on Locust Walk yesterday. "I think that the University should try to make strides toward giving students some options in bulkpacks [and in the] choice [of] where to purchase [them]," Black Student League President and Wharton senior Erika Coleman said. "If we eliminate a lot of the forced issue, I think that would alleviate a lot of the lack of support." Student activists said the responses of community members varied, but stressed the universal importance of the issue, in terms of customer respect regardless of race. "A lot of people are appalled and outraged, a lot are apathetic," College sophomore and Foundation member Danielle Hannah said. "They think it's so extraordinary that they don't believe it happened. I think we're educating people if nothing else." Students tried to explain the situation to patrons outside the Campus Copy locations on Walnut Street. One harried customer told the protesters that she was in a rush, but would "make the right decision next time." Stan Shapiro, the owner of Campus Copy, said that the activists had little effect on business yesterday, although they may have caused a few customers to turn away. "I'm sure we've lost some," he said. "It's just a shame that things like this take place where they're still alleging what has happened rather than a decision," Shapiro said. "It's far from over." Penn activists, who are strategizing a long-term response to the incident, agree that today's reactions are only the beginning. And some said they found Rodin's statement less than satisfactory. "I'm very glad that [President Rodin] responded to the University community's wanting a statement, although I don't think that her statement really quells the concerns of the students who are outraged that this could happen across the street," Noble said. "People realize that this is not just a one day thing," she added. "If we want to improve communications and improve how the University handles these things, then we are going to have to work hard, and it's not just a day on the Walk that is going to make a difference." Noble said that groups were especially frustrated after Penn failed to provide a representative who could act as a full spokesperson for the University at an open meeting held Sunday night at DuBois College House. But some said they found encouragement in many sectors of the community. "People on all levels of the University community came here signing [the petition] -- students, staff, faculty, community members," Noble said. "People really are concerned. It's a shame that it takes something negative to bring people together."