Keene-Flint Hall graffiti removed, referenced organic chemistry

Dimitri Kampouris, 20, sat outside Keene-Flint Hall on Monday afternoon and watched a team from UF’s Physical Plant Division wash off vulgar words and scribbles on the side of the building.

He said it seemed whoever did it could’ve used their time more wisely.

“If you took the time to do all that, and you’re clearly up at night, why don’t you take the time to do practice problems?” the UF microbiology and cell science sophomore said.

Monday, multiple vulgar words were spray painted on the side of Keene-Flint Hall. 

“F**k chem” was written in uneven letters. Under it was a mess of overlapping scribbles in black, blue and white paint. The Om sign, a symbol for peace, was drawn in blue.

On the side of the pillars, the culprit wrote, “F**k orgo,” referring to organic chemistry.

Jamie Luskin, a teaching assistant for Organic Chemistry 2, said she read about the graffiti on Facebook after another TA posted a picture of it Sunday morning.

The 23-year-old UF chemistry senior said she was disappointed that whoever graffitied the hall would disrespect the course and department.

“It kind of offended me on a lot of levels,” she said. “I think it shows a lack of values for the opportunities that we have here,” Luskin said.  

Mo Ledo, a UF Physical Plant worker, said these acts of vandalism aren’t uncommon.

Sometimes it’s done in chalk, which is easier to take off, he said. When spray paint is used, it requires chemicals and pressurized water to take it off.

“It seems like somebody got a bad grade,” Ledo said, referring to the insults directed toward chemistry.

He said it’s the third or fourth time they’ve had to wash off graffiti this semester.

“Just another day,” Ledo said.

Students who waited for their class in Keene-Flint, Room 50, sat and watched as a three-person team sprayed the graffiti with chemicals.

After the process, which took about an hour and a half, all that was left was a yellow stain on one of the pillars.

Joe Parrish, a graduate assistant for American History to 1877, looked for signs of the graffiti after it was washed away. He’s never seen graffiti on campus, but he said at least it’s a victimless crime.

“I think it’s a stupid way to get in trouble,” he said.

Kampouris said he found it ironic that a student used spray paint, which is made up of chemicals, to insult chemistry.

“To do it on your own campus because you’re frustrated shows a lack of maturity,” Kampouris said. “Which simply shows you’re not ready to be here.”

Pictured is a slew of graffiti painted outside Flint Hall. Acts of vandalism aren’t uncommon, said a UF physical plant worker; when spray paint is involved, chemicals and pressure washing is required to remove the graffiti.