The Government of the Student Body endorsed a response to acts of hate on campus through a set of principle statements that were laid out by a GSB commission Wednesday night, reaffirming a bill passed this fall supporting the commission.

The Principles Commission was created to provide recommendations designed to ensure future acts of hate would be addressed collectively and immediately with a uniform response, according to the GSB Web site.

Schilleter/University Village Senator Phil Hernandez, chairman of the commission and graduate student in education leadership and policy studies, thanked the members for their hard work on developing a value statement for Iowa State. The final draft of the statement can be viewed on the GSB Web site.

“For seven months the commission has journeyed across campus looking for ways to improve campus climate,” Hernandez said.

He reminded the senate of past incidents of hate, which made it important for the principles to be created.

After rallies following past incidents of hate, such as spray-painted sidewalks in the summer of 2005, opportunities for progress were lost, Hernandez said.

He said the commission learned, through focus groups and talking with student organizations across campus, that students are not always comfortable disagreeing about their beliefs. He said that although talk and even tension might result from the principles, progress can be made through dialogue.

“Sooner or later it will be clear to the majority that acts of hate will not be tolerated at Iowa State,” Hernandez said.

GSB is the first body on campus to endorse the principles.

The remainder of March will be spent proposing the principles to other organizations across campus, such as the Faculty Senate and Graduate and Professional Student Senate.

“Everyone will interpret the principles in his or her own way, but progress will come as a result of that,” Hernandez said.