Student charged in racist vandalism faces expulsion from Western
Western student Shayne Robert Merwin, 20, of Gold Bar pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Friday, Dec. 7 in Whatcom County Superior Court to felony charges of second-degree burglary and malicious harassment, Washington鈥檚 hate crime statute. Merwin was arrested and charged in connection with recent racist vandalism and hate-filled slurs that appeared on Western鈥檚 campus. On Dec. 7, the court lifted the pretrial release prohibition of Merwin leaving Whatcom County to allow him to return to his hometown of Gold Bar.
Also, the University鈥檚 student conduct process has concluded its investigation into Shayne Merwin鈥檚 involvement in the recent racist graffiti found in Nash residence hall and on Wright鈥檚 Triangle outdoor sculpture. This graffiti runs counter to the values of Western and is an extremely serious violation of the 草榴社区 Student Conduct Code. As a result, the outcome of the student conduct process is the expulsion of Merwin and his trespass from Western鈥檚 campus. Expulsion is the most significant discipline the University may impose and means that a student is permanently separated from Western and is not allowed to re-enroll. Merwin has the option to appeal the University鈥檚 disciplinary decision; if he does so, his appeal will be considered by a University appeals board.
University Police continue an active criminal investigation into the racist vandalism.