Reports of racial slurs being shouted at members of the NIU football team during Saturday night’s loss to Lamar has Jon Dalton, vice president for student affairs, set to take action.

Dalton Monday said he heard there were some comments from the booster section area of the stadium. However, he didn’t know if the shouting occurred in isolated sections.

“We’re presently trying to find out what occurred,” Dalton said. “I’m not really in a position to say anything concrete at this point.”

Dalton confirmed he had heard rumors that the slurs were directed at Huskie quarterback Marshall Taylor, and “if there’s any truth to it we would be very concerned. We’d be determined to find out who’s responsible.”

Jim Braun, executive director of the Huskie Club, said while no one from his organization was involved in the taunting, he was aware the incident “started with one person” seated in the section next to Huskie Club members.

“If one person starts it and someone else acquiesces, you have a bandwagon,” said Braun, who added he was upset Huskie Club members did not stop the action. “What I have a problem with is, why didn’t someone call an usher over? I’m not saying getting in a confrontation, but when someone is allowed to continue, they will.”

Braun, who was in the skybox area of Huskie Stadium during the game, was told of the problem by Dalton and Eddie Williams, vice president for finance and planning. Braun said the slurs were directed from section C of the stadium’s superstructure.

“I’m going to sleep on it one night and then decide what type of action to take,” said Braun. If and when those involved are identified, Braun said, “I would like to see them not allowed into games anymore.”

ead football coach Jerry Pettibone said he heard the slurs, but was not going to talk to his players about it because “we don’t dwell on it.”

“Things that are said about me personally on calls that we make, that’s understandable. I can take that,” Pettibone said. “But when I hear personal things, abusive things being directed at players, I don’t approve. But I can’t go up in the 10th row and grab some guy.”

Pettibone said he has “heard it before. I’ve been hearing things for three years—ever since the Western Michigan game (his first as Huskie coach).” But he said his team has never been affected.

“We don’t have any (racial) problem here. We assign roommates by position. We don’t separate our white guys over here and our black guys over here,” Pettibone said.