NIU charged a student last week with breaking the harassment policy for hanging a “kill a faggot” sign in a Neptune residence hall window.

The student is expected to enter a plea by Tuesday, said NIU Judicial Officer Larry Bolles. Assistant Judicial Office Director Terry Jones is handling the case and has not determined the student’s sanction, Bolles said.

However, Bolles said the office has ruled out suspension. Bolles declined to say what the student’s intentions were by displaying the sign.

Federal law prohibits releasing the name of a student charged by a public university judicial system.

Bolles said the student’s roommate will not be charged because the roommate had nothing to do with the sign. Furthermore, Bolles said the roommate came to the judicial office, explaining he asked his roommate to take the sign down.

NIU’s judicial system works similar to the court system. Once charged, the student can plead innocent, plead guilty and accept the sanctions or plead guilty and appeal the sanction.

The student can choose a judicial advocate—usually another student—to defend the case in front of a panel or in front of one administrator.

The panel has three students and two administrators. Decisions are based on a simple majority.

The computer-printed sign was seen April 3 and 4 from the fourth floor of Neptune East. The Gay/Lesbian Union was celebrating Gay and Lesbian awareness week at the time.

David Huggins, GLU co-president, said he is pleased NIU is “willing to hold up the (harassment) policy.”

Emphasizing that the GLU was not trying to “run someone off campus,” Huggins said the sign was insulting and attributed it to ignorance.

However, Huggins is disappointed other minority groups did not show support for the GLU. If the sign were aimed at blacks, Jews or another minority, Huggins said there would have been a “big stink” and a “huge outcry on campus.”

This is not the first time a student has been charged for violating the harassment code, although such charges are “very uncommon,” Bolles said.

At least two students were charged with violating the harassment code this semester. One student was charged after allegedly harassing a black student while the other allegedly harassed a Jewish student.