The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center will hold a town hall meeting tonight (March 1) to discuss recent acts of vandalism against its facility. Chancellor Linda Katehi is expected to attend and address this incident and other recent acts of intolerence on campus.

"Our university and campus community must confront this type of behavior not only with words but with action as well," Katehi wrote in a March 1 letter to the campus community.

The LGBT center's entrance was defaced Feb. 26 with derogatory and hateful words targeting the queer community.

The university is also investigating an alleged hate crime last week in which a swastika was carved into the residence hall room door of a Jewish student. In light of this incident, leaders of Hillel House are expected to attend the LGBT forum.

The meeting, scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. in the ARC Ballroom, represents an opportunity for the campus community "to come together and express any concerns to collectively decide what actions should take place in the future," the LGBT resource center stated.

"This vicious hate crime demonstrates the need for community centers like ours to exist in order to offer a safe space on campus and combat the homophobia, discrimination and hate that is still prevalent within our society," a March 1 statement read.

LGBT officials chose not to immediately remove the vandalism—they left it there, they said, to ensure that the hate crime "does not go unnoticed" by the UC Davis community.

"We will take what was intended to hurt us and turn it into something that will empower us. We ask that you stay strong and to remind everyone that this act will not hinder, but will reaffirm the mission of this center as it has always existed," the statement added.

Principles of Community

This week UC Davis holds its annual weeklong celebration of the Principles of Community. The Principles of Community (principles.ucdavis.edu) require each of us to recognize the obligation we have to our community to maintain a campus environment of civility and respect in which every student, faculty staff and group can thrive.

Dateline's Feb. 26 issue included an article on the Principles of Community celebrating its 20th anniversary as well as the chancellor's response to the recent acts of intolerance on campus.

The LGBT resource center provides services and education about all genders and sexualities, as well as space for self-exploration of these identities. For more information, visit lgbtrc.ucdavis.edu.

The Hillel House is a nonprofit organization serving the campus Jewish community of UC Davis. For more information, visit http://www.hillelhouse.org.