Two weeks ago, four N.C. State students painted racist remarks in the university's Free Expression Tunnel.

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Free Expression Tunnel Act

After the Nov. 4 elections, the four students-- whose names have not been released -- wrote racist death threats in the tunnel against President-elect Barack Obama.

Upon further investigation, the university says federal and local authorities concluded what they did was not a crime so no charges were filed.

Now student leaders are debating whether to recommend punishment for the four.

"Even though it is freedom of speech, you know, hate speech should never be tolerated. And this university needs to make sure we send out a message that we don't tolerate it," said senior Zenobia Drammeh.

But no disciplinary action was taken against the students because the university says the words were written in the Free Expression Tunnel.

"Free expression is one thing and just deliberate hatred is another thing," according to Tyler Hawn, a junior.

The North Carolina chapter of the NAACP describes the university's response as "tepid," and is calling for the expulsion of the students.

Last week, student government leaders failed to pass a bill calling for the expulsion of the four students.

"Personally I really don't feel that whoever did it, they should be expelled from the university indefinitely. I just think that they should possibly be suspended," said first year graduate student Samuel Scott.

Now student leaders are pushing another bill, this time calling on the university to punish the students.

"We encourage them in the midst of determining that punishment to think of creative options like having them do community service in the African American Cultural Center," according to Student Senate President Greg Doucette.

The resolution also recommends the university make policy changes.

"We ask them to take a look at the university's policies and regulations regarding incidents such as this and make sure they're adequate to address anything that might happen in the future," Doucette said.

If student leaders pass the resolution, and the student body president signs off on it, the bill will then go to the chancellor who will have final say.