Penn State College Republicans chair Brian Battaglia issued an apology yesterday for offense taken at photographs posted last week on his Web site.

"While we stand staunchly behind our freedom to express ourselves in a lawful manner, after contemplation, we understand that the content of the Web site was offensive to members of our community," Battaglia said during a press conference yesterday in the HUB-Robeson Center.

Controversy arose last week after members of the Black Caucus found photographs on Battaglia's Web site taken at a Halloween party hosted at Battaglia's apartment.

The photographs showed a white man in blackface depicting Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Vice President Takkeem Morgan, an "oversodomized frat pledge," and made a reference to the Ku Klux Klan.

Battaglia said the organization's officers met with Vice President of Student Affairs Vicky Triponey Friday to discuss forming an open forum between the College Republicans, Black Caucus, Allies, USG and the Interfraternity Council.

Black Caucus held its own press conference at noon, at which members of the offended organizations responded to the situation.

In front of about 300 people, Black Caucus Vice President Anesha Ali said she would accept the College Republicans' apology through actions, not words.

"Apologies may come, and while resignations may come, institutional change on behalf of the university is the only acceptable outcome to this situation," she said.

Ali called the situation the first episode of its nature at University Park, but added it is not an isolated incident, referring to threats sent to Black Caucus officers in spring 2001 and this semester's highly publicized sexual assaults.

Among requests made yesterday were that all organizations add the university's anti-discrimination statement to their constitutions and a review of the College Republicans by the College Republican National Committee.

University spokesman Tysen Kendig said the apology is a "positive first step," but it only happened after the group was urged to do so by university officials.

Allies President Sara Ryan said she was concerned about the photographs depicting an "oversodomized frat pledge" because it is an insult to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied community at the university.

"This happened only a few weeks after anti-gay fliers were placed all over campus and on the Allies office door by the same group advertising their Conservative Coming Out Day," she said.

Ryan said the issue is not about Black Caucus or any other student group, but about the whole community.

Terrell Jones, vice provost for educational equity, said it would have been better if College Republicans apologized sooner.

"There are moral and ethical standards here, and what they did was immoral and unethical," he said.

Battaglia said members of the College Republicans have faced harassment and physical assault by members of the Black Caucus.

Penn State University Police officer Ed Delaney said police were dispatched to a debate between the College Republicans and College Democrats that was postponed because of a Black Caucus protest. In that incident, police decided Black Caucus members were voicing opinions but were not disorderly.

Delaney said a separate harassment complaint was filed on behalf of the College Republicans at 4:30 p.m. Friday after the Thursday night debate. Delaney said he could not release the name of the person who filed the complaint.

In another incident, Walter DeShields, Black Caucus political actions coordinator, said an assault occurred Friday at The Pointe, 501 Vairo Blvd., where a man allegedly bumped into a woman, grabbed her by the shoulders and accused her of disrespecting him.

Patton Township Police Chief John Petrick confirmed a harassment complaint was filed at The Pointe on Friday at 2:30 p.m., but could not say whether it was the incident in question or if it was related to the College Republicans or Black Caucus.

Ali said Black Caucus cannot be blamed simply because the College Republicans said the harassment was allegedly perpetrated by a black man.

"We don't condone violence, and in regards to rumors of issues that occurred when we went to the debate, the police were there. If there was an incident, I'm sure it would've been taken care of," she said.

Ali added she was concerned about Black Caucus being blamed for the community's outcry against Battaglia's pictures.

"The College Republicans are, frankly, trying to shift the blame from themselves, which is a shame. Through all of this, we would expect they'd gained some knowledge of the problems this situation caused," she said.