Eight female students say a mural painted in Willow Hall violates the university’s sexual harassment policy and the Department of Residence’s hall house sign policy. They are asking for it to be removed.

The mural, located in the Schaefer House kitchenette on the fifth floor of Willow Hall, depicts three men in army fatigues. One of the men has a scantily clad woman, with the word “tool” written on her forehead, under his arm. The name “Ellen,” later changed to “Emily,” is written near the woman. Another man is carrying a keg, with the word “roofies” written on it.

The group has sent a letter asking for the removal of the mural to Department of Residence Director Randy Alexander, Dean of Students Pete Englin and representatives from the Sloss House and Sexual Assault Response Team.

Jenny Vande Voort, junior in biology, is a member of the group asking for the mural to be removed. She said they decided to do something about the mural while doing a project for a women’s studies class, which called for participation in some form of activism.

She said because of the recent cases of date-rape drug use at Iowa State, the group felt making people aware of the mural was important.

“We’ve been trying to raise awareness of the issue [of rape] and of the mural itself,” she said. “We were disappointed to see something like that at Iowa State.”

Samantha Sexton, freshman in pre-advertising and member of the group who sent the letter, said when she originally saw the mural, the words “date raper extraordinaire” were written across the bandanna of one of the men. She said the men carried condoms and lubricants in their belts in place of ammunition.

“We were informed that the [words] ‘date raper extraordinaire’ were scratched off,” she said. “They said they had taken care of it. In our sense that’s not taking care of it.”

Patrick Phippen, Willow Hall director, said the original mural included only the army men and woman, but did not include the phrases “roofies” or “date raper extraordinaire.” He said he believed they had been added recently and that the Department of Residence removed “date raper extraordinaire” shortly after hearing about it.

Phippen said the residents of Schaefer House he had spoken to did not want the mural removed.

John Thomas, resident assistant for Schaefer House, agreed a few things could be interpreted as offensive but residents did not want to paint over the entire mural.

“We’ve already changed some of it so it’s not as offensive, and we’re planning on changing it some more,” he said. “But the feeling for the most part is that all the residents like the mural — we don’t plan to get rid of the mural.”

Adam Heathcote, vice president of Schaefer House and sophomore in animal ecology, said many people were opposed to things being taken off the mural without consulting anyone on the floor.

He said many residents believed the mural should be left as is.

“We will remove the roofies because that is just as offensive to us as it is to them, but I don’t see how the condoms are offensive,” Heathcote said.

Sexton said even with the added words removed, the mural would still be offensive.

“The guy is evidently carrying the girl against her will,” she said. “I don’t know anybody who could paint this and not think it’s offensive.”

Sexton said her group originally sent letters out asking for the removal of the mural in mid-November. They sent another batch of letters out after they did not get a response.

“We were hoping it would be down by now,” she said. “Hopefully [the people who received letters] are just as disgusted as we are by this.”

Thomas said the group should have come to the Schaefer House government before going to the Department of Residence.

“I could see if they’d be justified if there was something that really bothered them and they came to us and we ignored them, but they didn’t come to us,” he said.

He said the mural is not in plain view and no one is forced to look at it.

“This is our business,” he said. “It’s our kitchenette, it’s not out in the hallway — this is people looking for trouble.”

Phippen said a hall meeting will be held Sunday in which both sides will have a chance to speak. At the meeting, the residents will vote on whether to remove the mural, he said.

“The house can just decide these women are right, it is offensive, and the house would just vote to paint it over,” he said. If the residents vote to keep the mural, the Department of Residence will step in to decide the next action, he said.

Phippen said the Department of Residence prefers to let students handle issues like this on their own.

Rather than the department taking action, an open dialogue that allowed the women to share their views would be more effective, Alexander said in an e-mail.

“It’s easy to dismiss me. It’s not so easy to look your peer group in the eye and hear their well-reasoned, legitimate concerns and then simply dismiss them,” he said.