In response to recent allegations of racism on campus, about 150 students gathered in the HUB-Robeson Center yesterday to call on the university to change the way acts of intolerance are handled.

The No More Hate rally, organized by Black Caucus, follows an alleged incident Thursday in which an unknown man shouted racial slurs at a person walking past Beaver Hall.

Penn State University Police will not confirm the name of the alleged victim, but Black Caucus President Ed Smith, who was passing by Beaver Hall at the time, said he was the target of the attack.

"The individual yelled racial slurs including 'I'm gonna lynch all you n------ off campus,' " Smith said yesterday.

Many community members who attended yesterday's rally voiced their beliefs that the university has not made a whole-hearted attempt to calm racial tension on campus.

"Penn State University takes a half-hearted, half-assed stance against acts of hatred," said Black Caucus member Shayla Harvin.

Sharise Wilson, a member of the Black Graduate Student Association, said it is time for change.

"This is about the half-hearted effort by Penn State to improve the pretentious racial climate in Happy Valley," she said to the crowd. "We cannot and will not take this any longer."

Penn State spokesman Tysen Kendig said the university has increased security on campus as a result of Thursday's incident and added that printed materials have been distributed on campus to enforce the university's diversity ideals.

The outcry to the university's response is similar to events that began in April 2001, when hundreds of students staged a 10-day HUB sit-in to protest alleged inaction by the university after Black Caucus leaders received death threats.

The protest ended when Black Caucus members and university officials signed a Plan to Enhance Diversity at Penn State. Members of the Black Caucus say they are still discontent with the way Penn State has been treating acts of racism across campus.

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said the university responds to injustices very quickly and with many resources. He added that the university has "redoubled" its efforts to increase minority enrollment.

"There are a lot of minority students at Penn State and they have one of the best graduation rates in the country, African-American students in particular," he said.

Although Kendig said Penn State is taking initiatives to improve tolerance, Naomi Williams (senior-management information sciences) said she has experienced name-calling and other forms of racism on campus.

"I've had people ... tell me the only reason I'm here is because of affirmative action," she said. "It's good to see these people say that we aren't going to tolerate it anymore."

Osvaldo Lee, president of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, said he feels Penn State does not celebrate black culture enough.

Mahon said the university runs many programs to recognize black holidays, adding that on next year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day, students will receive a day off from classes.

Kendig said Penn State does more than other communities to fight racism.

"We get our police involved and incidents like this get the attention of officials. What might be common elsewhere certainly is not common here," he said.

Another Black Caucus discussion is scheduled for 6 tonight in 322 HUB.

University police are still investigating Thursday's allegations and a similar incident that took place last Wednesday in Porter Hall. Anyone with additional information is urged to contact police at 863-1111 or http://www.psu.edu/dept/police.