Administrators, faculty, staff and students have an important responsibility to establish and maintain a tone of civility on campus by demanding and enforcing a policy of zero tolerance toward all bigotry. If they send mixed or muddled messages, some will see this as tacit approval and even as license to engage in such behavior.

When a problem occurs, it is essential to:

• Identify and define the campus problem, troublesome situation or concern.

• Collect data and study the problem or situation.

• Decide what needs to be changed, what can be changed and how it might be changed.

• Establish clear goals and objectives for change.

• Formulate a plan on how to proceed.

• Take timely action based on a plan (i.e. intervention).

• Monitor progress and determine if the intervention is achieving desired goals and objectives and, if necessary, modify the plan and try again.

Once goals and objectives have been reached, conclude the intervention and evaluate the process to learn for future contingencies.

Next: Responding to Campus Bigotry