Six members of Associated Student Government painted The Rock on Monday night, two weeks after ASG president Victor Shao emailed student leaders proposing a hiatus on the Northwestern tradition.
ASG asked students not to paint The Rock for 13 days following the funeral for Harsha Maddula, the McCormick sophomore whose body was found in Lake Michigan last month. In his email to students, Shao said the hiatus was intended to honor the traditional Hindu mourning period.
NU Facilities Management painted The Rock white Monday morning so ASG could write “One Northwestern” on it in purple paint that night. During the hiatus, The Rock was covered with messages left by students at the Sept. 28 vigil honoring Maddula.
Ethan Romba, ASG technology vice president, was one of three ASG members whose participation in Monday’s painting was their first experience decorating The Rock. The McCormick senior said he was glad his first time participating in the tradition was one that held so much significance.
“I thought, ‘What better way to reach that goal (painting The Rock) than when it has such meaning behind it and it’s such a symbolic gesture for Harsha and his family, and the community, too?'” he said.
— Kaitlyn Jakola
