Professors sent a second letter to Penn State's president Monday, warning that sanctions against a student activist could damage the university's reputation and urging administrators to create a committee to discuss Penn State's anti-sweatshop policies.

The letter clarified the professors' stance on the sanctions imposed on Olivia Guevara (graduate-labor studies), who was found guilty of chalking the doors of Old Main by Penn State Judicial Affairs but had her charges dropped in criminal court. Penn State maintains the chalk scratched the doors and constitutes vandalism, though the charges were dropped by a Centre County judge because of lack of evidence.

The professors' intent was not to accuse the university of targeting a student activist but to promote a resolution to the issues with Penn State's adoption of an anti-sweatshop program, according to the letter.

Ellen Dannin, a Dickinson School of Law professor who signed the letter, said the intention of the first letter was to ask for a committee to discuss the adoption of the Designated Suppliers Program (DSP). The DSP is a plan designed to ensure that licensed apparel for universities is not being made in sweatshops.

Forty-one professors signed the letter, compared to the 48 who signed the first letter. Dannin said the effort is from the same core group of professors and that some new professors added their names to the second letter while some that signed the previous letter did not respond in time.

Steve MacCarthy, vice-president for public relations, said Penn State President Graham Spanier received the letter but is out of town and will not be able to respond for a few days.

Administrators have said they cannot sign the DSP because of anti-trust issues. University spokesman Bill Mahon said the U.S. Justice Department is reviewing the legality of the DSP proposal for anti-trust issues. The review will take about six months, and the university cannot take any further action until the ruling, MacCarthy said.

Spanier responded to the professors' original letter Feb. 21, one day after it was delivered, in a statement that said Guevara's charges would stand. The statement also said although Penn State has not adopted the DSP, the university is committed to combating unfair labor practices.

After a meeting with MacCarthy Feb. 27, the professors thought Spanier may have misinterpreted the intent of their first letter, and decided to send a second one for clarification, Dannin said.

"To be clear, we wrote our letter in the hope that by forming a committee that included concerned students and faculty we could help Penn State reach an outcome on the DSP that would be satisfactory to all. We still hope that is possible," the professors' letter read.

The letter also said because Guevara was found not guilty in criminal court that her charges with the university should also be dropped. Guevara has paid $136.32 in restitution fees for the damage and received a seven-year citation on her academic record but has repeatedly said she never admitted to damaging the door.

Guevara, who was traveling home to California last night, said she had not gotten a chance to read the letter but that she is appreciative of the professors' effort.

"I'm speechless. The fact that they are all standing behind me and showing continuing support is amazing," she said.

Dannin said she thinks Spanier will respond in a positive manner.

"There is a still huge amount of energy and goodwill to make this work," she said.