Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Tim Davis, Jamey Hansen, Tim Frerking, Chris Mende and Keesia Wirt.

The university is being asked to investigate the mysterious removal of black cloths from two bricks in front of the Carrie Chapman Catt Hall building. If the university does not comply, one organization has promised to cover them — permanently.

The September 29th Movement, a group of Iowa State University students urging for the renaming of Carrie Chapman Catt Hall, is asking ISU officials for help in discovering who is removing the black cloths from two bricks in front of Catt Hall.

Phyllis Harris, an ISU graduate student, and Blue Maas, an ISU secretary, chose to cover two bricks bearing the names of Maas and Harris’ mother after learning that Catt made xenophobic and racist remarks in her life. The cloths that they glued to the bricks have been removed more than 60 times and the Movement is demanding to know who is doing it.

In a letter sent to ISU president Martin Jischke, Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Elizabeth Hoffman and Director of University Legal Services Paul Tanaka, the Movement has promised to “cover the bricks in such a manner that will prevent removal” if the university refuses to investigate the matter for them.

There is no reason for the university not to comply with the September 29th Movement’s wish. It should be these women’s right to express themselves by covering a brick that they paid to have inscribed. If they no longer wish to be associated with the building, then we should allow them that right.

The university will be making a big mistake if they choose to further ignore this matter which has so many ISU students and faculty upset. The group has promised to take action if nothing has been done by August 1.

Let’s hope the administration doesn’t let it get that far.