Penn State Hillel's student board sent a letter to the administration yesterday demanding an official apology and other concessions for last week's cancellation of student Josh Stulman's art exhibit, Portraits of Terror.

A few days before the 10-piece exhibit was planned to take place, Stulman received an e-mail message from Charles Garoian, the director of and a professor in the School of Visual Arts, notifying him that the exhibit would be canceled. According to Garoian's e-mail, the exhibit did not promote "cultural diversity" or "opportunity for democratic dialogue."

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon wrote in an e-mail message Friday that the exhibit was canceled because of Penn State Hillel's sponsorship.

Garoian said in an e-mail message last Thursday that the School of Visual Arts is reserved for work created by classes within the school, while having a sponsor moves the work into "the commercial realm."

Mahon also said in an e-mail message yesterday that several faculty members offered to help Stulman mount his work this week, but Stulman declined.

However, Stulman said he already reached an agreement with Steve MacCarthy, director of university relations, to show his work in the fall with Hillel's sponsorship. No dates or galleries have been confirmed yet, but Stulman said that in the fall, he will have the opportunity to advertise his work and display it for the full time period.

Despite the request for an apology, Tuvia Abramson, executive director of Hillel, said no formal apology has been issued from the university.

"Hillel deserves and demands an apology, and Josh deserves and demands an apology," he said. "Instead of saying the School of [Visual] Arts mishandled the situation, both for Josh and for Hillel, the spokesman today still said the exhibit was canceled because of Hillel sponsorship."

Besides a formal and public apology, the other requests in yesterday's letter included a process to ensure that underrepresented opinions will not be silenced and sensitivity training for the School of Visual Arts faculty.

The letter also requested "an investigation into the discrimination, racism and intimidation" by the School of Visual Arts.

Stulman said he felt discriminated against when one of his professors ignored his complaint about a swastika that was drawn on one of his advertising fliers.

"Anti-Semitism was reported, and they didn't say anything or acknowledge anything," he said. "I got the impression that 'oh, you deserve it.' "

Stulman explained the necessity of a public apology from the university to Hillel.

"To go and lie and make Hillel the only reason for the cancellation -- it drags Hillel's name through the mud," he said. "If this goes unresolved, then Hillel is suffering, and the Jewish community is being libelously stereotyped."

Abramson said the matter required immediate resolution because the semester ends in a week.

"It's time to come clean, and fast," he said.

Garoian did not return repeated phone calls by press time yesterday.