A cutout image of Sen. Barack Obama was found hanging from a tree on Tuesday at George Fox University, in northwestern Oregon, along with graffiti mentioning a scholarship program for minority and low-income students, The Oregonian reported.

Minority students make up about a quarter of the enrollment at George Fox, a Quaker-affiliated institution with about 3,200 students. University officials told the newspaper that a custodian had discovered the cutout early Tuesday. Spray-painted next to the Democratic presidential nominee’s image were the words, “Act Six reject.” Act Six is a program that gives scholarships to minority students who exhibit leadership potential during high school.

The university’s president, Robin E. Baker, said that officials held a discussion with Act Six students on Tuesday and that he planned to meet with the entire student body today.

“We are a faith community driven by the teaching of Christ,” Mr. Baker told The Oregonian. “We have to express love toward each other, so it was a great disappointment that anything like this would happen.” —David DeBolt