By Diego Ruiz

Homophobic graffiti on a sophomore student’s whiteboard in the residence halls was reported last weekend. Jim Hoppe, dean of students, said there were no leads about who may have written the graffiti, or if it was intended at a specific individual.Several incidents of racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic graffiti led the Macalester student government and the administration to hold public forums last year. Hoppe did not know if this incident was connected to past ones.

Ferny Rodriguez, the hall director for 30 Mac, Bigelow and Wallace said that incidents like these were part of his experience working in student affairs.

He said he hoped that whoever wrote it had a “chance to reflect” on the impact of the graffiti on LGBTQ students and community members.

“I’d bet someone on campus has some idea who might have done this,” Hoppe wrote in an email. “Hearing from peers that this type of thing is not acceptable will send an important and powerful message.”

“My expectation is that this is going to be a safe space for everyone,” Rodriguez said. “No one should have to walk out and see homophobic graffiti written on their whiteboard.