Kent State President Todd Diacon sent an email to students and community members Saturday evening regarding an ongoing controversy that has now gone beyond campus. 

Last week, students in the fine arts program began displaying artwork in the Center for the Visual Arts for their Bachelor of Fine Arts shows. Senior Rorke McCullough’s piece depicted elected officials, including President Donald Trump, on stakes with the phrase “We Only Have to Get Lucky Once.” The student’s work was visible from outside of the CVA due to it being displayed near and on the windows of the building. 

Diacon wrote in his message that “the work depicted violence toward elected officials and in no way reflected the point of view of Kent State.”

The president’s email explained that after the university learned of the display Wednesday evening, scaffolding was constructed outside of the building to “limit access so that only those wishing to see the artwork would encounter it.”

Images of the artwork have been posted to social media, sparking many reactions, including threats of violence, according to the email. 

The work is no longer on display after the student agreed to voluntarily take it down on Thursday. 

Kent State supports the right to free speech under the First Amendment but continues “our work as a university to guide free speech within our Kent State values of kindness and respect,” Diacon said in the email.

“We know from our history what happens when polarized viewpoints intersect with violence,” he wrote. “We are grateful for the decision of the student artist given the sensitivities of the history of violence on our campus, and we are glad to have resolved this matter in a manner in keeping with the weight of our history and within our values.”

McCullough declined a request for comment.

Ari Collins is a beat reporter. Contact her at [email protected].