UPDATE: At 3:00 P.M., this article was updated to reflect a statement from Campus Safety.
As Albion College woke up on the morning of Friday, March 27th, students and staff found that the Rock, a landmark on the College quad, had been vandalized.
The side of the Rock that faces Porter Street appears to have been smashed, revealing dozens of layers of paint. Photos on social media depicting the damage appeared last evening around 7 P.M., students told the Pleiad.
Campus Safety director Kenneth Snyder issued the following statement to the Pleiad:
“Campus Safety was made aware of the incident early this morning. College staff have examined the damage, and it appears that the Rock was struck several times with a heavy object. However, these blows only knocked off some of the hundreds of layers of paint that have been put on the Rock over the last several years. Neither the Rock itself nor the base it sits on sustained any damage. Anyone with information about this incident should contact Campus Safety.”
Mitchell Moore, East Lansing junior and chief financial officer of Student Senate, said the vandalism upset him.
“As a student, I feel that our respect and dignity for each other has been broken,” Moore said in an email. “The rock…is larger than just the current students attending our college. It is a part of the Albion College culture and that part of our unique culture has been violated.”
The Rock is an Albion College hallmark that was donated by the class of 1899. It serves as a sort of public posting area; student groups and organizations often paint the rock to advertise events or raise awareness on campus.
The Rock has suffered vandalism in recent years, but not in as destructive a manner as observed Friday morning. It appears that it was not the first time some manner of wrongdoing occurred at the Rock, however.
Photos by Spencer White
I’m curious what the rock was promoting when it was vandalized and wondering if the vandalism was a (harsh) form of protest?
Ignoring the disrespect that has occurred, it is humbling and amazing to see all the layers that are underneath the paint. Attempting to seek a positive light on this situation, we are getting a chance to look at the history and long-standing symbol that the rock is for our college. That being said, I hope they are able to find the vandal.
Someone get the Geology Department out there, stat! We’ve always wanted to know what kind of rock it really was, now’s our chance guys!
I’ve been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thank you, I’ll try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your website?