Die Fag Die. Dean of Fags. Fag House Museum. It’s been more than a year since Iowa State’s campus buildings were adorned with a sudden surge of hate speech and hate crimes that, for the most part, are still waiting to be solved.

But the surge of hate speech wasn’t just in terms of crude, anonymous vandalism. There was the graduate student who told a peer to “wear his yarmulke like a real man.” There was the man from Roland who bellowed “Niggers on the loose!” at two Nigerian students before spraying them with water and threatening them with a knife near Curtiss Hall.

Then there was our personal favorite, “ISU Fag Rag,” which was spray-painted in black letters on a dividing wall between Agronomy Hall and Hamilton Hall, which houses the Iowa State Daily offices and the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication.

Whoever mused, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me,” was lying. Words such as these all too often have their desired effect. Students, faculty and staff — even those who the message was not directly aimed at — feel threatened, alienated and uncomfortable in what should be an institute of higher learning. But what can realistically be done?

On Monday, a survey to help determine the campus climate for diverse groups of students, faculty and staff was e-mailed to approximately 8,300 individuals. The e-mail invited its recipients to complete an online survey, which is due Feb. 13.

Todd Herriott, program coordinator for the Dean of Students office and chairman of the climate subcommittee, said the idea for the survey came from a discussion among subcommittee members.

“We realized we needed a way to address certain issues dealing with diversity,” Herriott said. “It is difficult for us to address these issues if we don’t know what the campus climate is like for the students.”

This survey is an outstanding opportunity for students, faculty and staff to take part in making a positive change at Iowa State. Take the time to fill out the online survey and to provide the university with the information it needs to take the first steps in creating a campus climate that is more welcoming to diverse populations.

The university has worked creatively in recent years to develop ongoing discussions, such as ISU President Gregory Geoffroy’s Dialogues on Diversity. But even infrequent attacks such as the “Die Fag Die” vandalism cast an unfriendly shadow over a campus better known for engineering, cherry pies and Hilton Magic.

Think how valuable this survey could be. Even if you’re about to graduate and won’t directly see the effects of the research, take pride in knowing that with your help, future generations of ISU students will.