Today at the monthly chancellor’s liaison meeting, the main topic of discussion will be hate crimes on campus. This subject stemmed from the noose found on campus earlier this month. More than likely, the meeting will not be centered on the event that happened in Sullivan Shops, but rather on the bigger issue of whether or not our University needs to have a policy governing hate crimes.

The University currently has a policy regarding unlawful harassment. This policy sets definitions of what harassment is, relying on federal civil rights laws to guide the classification of harassment. However, the policy fails to address the issue of more violent hate crimes.

Hate crimes go above and beyond traditional harassment — harassment is unwelcome conduct that creates a hostile environment, whereas the intent of a hate crime is more violent and vindictive in nature. Harassment more often than not is geared toward one person, while a hate crime targets a particular segment of people in society in a malicious way.

Walking around campus it would be much easier to point out harassment if you were to see it — however, it’s much more difficult to determine what would constitute a hate crime. The reason is because the definition of harassment is clear and concise.

This isn’t true when it comes to hate crimes. There aren’t any University guidelines for what constitutes a hate crime. Students, faculty, staff and administrators alike need to know what the criteria are for an act to be considered a hate crime.

Furthermore, during the revision of the current harassment policy, the University must make it clear what actions the University will take if they catch someone who has committed a hate crime. Whether a student is expelled or suspended, or if an administrator, faculty or staff member is suspended or fired, everyone must know what punishments can be expected.

The discovery of the noose on our campus has brought this issue to light, and while it’s debatable whether it constitutes a hate crime or harassment, it has sparked a much-needed discussion on an important issue.

What the University currently has on the books has to go further in addressing hate crimes. After what took place in Sullivan Shops campus community members want to know what the consequences will be for those who are filled with enough hate to act upon it.