Emerson removes graffiti accusing specific students of sexual misconduct

Emerson College on Thursday removed street-level graffiti that included accusations of sexual misconduct against specific students from one of its most prominent buildings in downtown Boston, according to an e-mail from Emerson’s president to the school’s community.

“This morning, an unknown person or persons, wrote on street level advertising posters and the walls of the Little Building the names of Emerson College students whom they believe have violated the College’s Sexual Misconduct Policy,” read the e-mail from Emerson president Lee Pelton.

The Little Building, a dormitory located at the corner of Tremont and Boylston streets, across the street from Boston Common, is currently undergoing renovations.

Pelton said the college has removed all of the writings and that any similar writings posted on the school’s property will be removed once Emerson becomes aware of them.

In his e-mail, Pelton said the school encourages members of the Emerson community to report sexual misconduct through initiating a report with the college’s Title IX coordinator or by seeking support from the college’s healing and advocacy collective.

Emerson does not disclose reports of student sexual misconduct, but Pelton said the school takes “appropriate action on each and every single report.”

Pelton did acknowledge that some “students feel that the college has not adequately addressed some incidents of sexual misconduct” with some community members feeling that “there are barriers to reporting incidents of sexual misconduct.”

“The College does not tolerate sexual misconduct,” Pelton said in the e-mail. “A culture of sexual misconduct undermines the capacity for students to thrive in a learning community. Some incidents are reported to the College, and others are not. The College acts decisively on all reported incidents of sexual misconduct.”

Pelton also noted that the school’s “value of basic fairness is undermined when members of our community accuse other members of violating the College’s code of conduct without the benefit of all the facts.”