Northern Illinois University is under a security alert through the end of the semester after police found threats on a bathroom wall that included a racial slur and references to the Virginia Tech shootings, a university spokeswoman said Sunday.

Campus police are investigating two separate writings found by a student Saturday night on the restroom wall in the Grant Towers D complex that read that “things will change most hastily” in the final days of the semester, said Melanie Magara, a university spokeswoman.

The first set of writings, found in black ink on the wall of a women’s restroom, includes a racial slur and reads “ME / OUT … Die Sem Burr 10th … Hmz Sdn Cr” in what officials believe are a reference to December 10 and the Holmes Student Center. Underlined letters also spell out the word “WATCH.”

The second entry, which appears to be in different handwriting, reads, “What time? The VA tech shooters messed up w/ having only one shooter …”

NIU officials increased campus security and notified everyone on campus about the threats by e-mail, voice mail and fliers, Magara said.

Magara said the final exams scheduled for this week will proceed as usual, though officials are still considering how to handle student absences in light of the threats.

“On the one hand, it’s something scrawled on a bathroom wall” and threats aren’t uncommon on college campuses during finals week, Malagra said.

But in light of recent, high-profile campus shootings, university officials want to err on the side of caution, she said.