By Christine Byrd Daily Bruin Staff
Most of the slashed posters, painted swastikas and mazes of scotch tape were gone Monday when administrators toured Kerckhoff Hall to see evidence of recent vandalism.
The major incident occurred three weeks ago after several days of defacing pictures and posters, when several offices were broken into and the halls were vandalized with painted swastikas and number fours.
Officials of the Associated Students of UCLA and students who work in the offices in Kerckhoff say the vandalism is clearly racially motivated, and Chancellor Albert Carnesale agreed when they gave him a tour of the building Monday afternoon.
"You actually have to walk over here to appreciate it," Carnesale said.
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Winston Doby visited Kerckhoff shortly before Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Bob Naples and Carnesale toured the building.
Although the the acts of vandalism appear random, their location outside certain offices, such as the Asian American Pacific Coalition, suggest they were targeted at minority groups.
Administrators agreed it looked like razor blades or Exacto knives had been used to precisely cut pictures and posters, including one of an Asian American woman whose eyes were sliced out.
"Anybody who can do that is dangerous to the people it's directed against," Carnesale said.
UCPD officials said a man had been questioned about the vandalism and was ordered not to return to campus. Since then, there has been no further vandalism, but no one has been charged.
Officials said they hope several fingerprints they found will provide some leads.
Because students are working in the offices most hours of the day and night, they said they were surprised someone suspicious was not noticed.
Carnesale suggested that it might be an inside job, someone who knows the campus well and would not appear out of place in the halls of Kerckhoff.
"Students have to know that they're all targets because it's random stuff, it doesn't have a pattern," said Mike de la Rocha, president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council.
Students also said they were disappointed that the chancellor had not gone to see the damage earlier, since most of it was cleaned up last week.
"I don't understand why it has taken so long to show he cares about student safety," said Cory Jong, internal director for the Asian Pacific Coalition.
The chancellor said he addressed the situation as quickly as possible by meeting with students on the last day before Spring Break and touring the building with them the first day they were back from break.
But the students who work in the building say they are worried it is a sign of a larger trend toward intolerance on campus, and that they want the administration to take a stronger stance.
Student officials also cited the drop in underrepresented minority admissions since the university was barred from using affirmative action beginning with the incoming class for fall 1998. De la Rocha said the policies have led to less diversity on campus and increased conflict between the races.
"The drop of underrepresented students of color will be the direct correlation with hate crimes on campus," de la Rocha said.
UCLA admissions statistics that came out on Monday showed a slight increase over last year in the number of underrepresented minorities admitted for fall 2000, with the exception of African Americans, which was down about a dozen.
Some contend this is making the campus a hostile environment for minorities.
"UCLA doesn't emphasize diversity in their academic program and that's hypocrisy," Jong said.
Carnesale emphasized his concern about the vandalism to the building, and the apparent targeting of minorities.
"Not one of the things is acceptable," Carnesale said.