When “The Advocates College Guide for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students” named Ithaca College one of the top 100 best campuses for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, it was an acknowledgement of the work of Lisa Maurer, Office of Multicultural Affairs LGBT coordinator. Maurer founded the LGBT Center in 2001 and has committed herself to raising awareness of the issues faced by LGBT students and faculty by organizing the “Out of the Closet” film series and a variety of community-centered GAYPRIL events.

The college would not have been recognized as a top campus for LGBT students were it not for Maurer’s outreach programs. But while Maurer’s accomplishments are great, there is still a need for further programming efforts to eliminate the bias-related incidents which continue to plague our campus.

There is, for example, the LGBT flag, which has been stolen four out of the six times it has been hung. There are also the students who were harassed last year for their sexual preferences.

Perpetrators may be in our midst, but they do not represent the college community. The college’s listing as one of the top schools for LGBT students should encourage other campus leaders to follow in Maurer’s example, spreading awareness of the need to respect our peers. This can be done through classroom education, films, appreciation months, outreach centers and discussion groups.

Like all college communities, Ithaca College has had its share of hateful incidents. But it is the responsibility of each community member to follow in the footsteps of those like Maurer who are tirelessly working to bind us together.