By Erikah Guillen and Esther Chong On April 11, homophobic vandalism was found on LGBTQ+ themed posters in the Fairhaven Complex stack 11 and 12 elevator, according to a University Residences notice to Fairhaven Complex residents. A second vandalized poster was discovered in the same elevator, almost two weeks after the initial incident on Wednesday April 24, according to director of university communications and marketing, Paul Cocke. A Campus Advisory notification and Western Alert were not sent after the first incident. The first poster was vandalized with homophobic language and a slur, Cocke said. The posters were removed and reported to residents via email on April 11. “Such ugly and offensive slurs should have no place on our campus and are contrary to Western’s values,” Cocke said. A Western Front reporter reached out to Cocke about the first incident on April 22. A campus advisory notification was sent after the second incident. Residence Hall staff posted a note with instructions on how to report vandalism and the note was also vandalized with a homophobic word, according to University Residences. “It is everyone’s responsibility to keep our campus safer. If you see something inappropriate, say something. If you feel unsafe or have concerns about another resident, tell someone,” the University Residences notice read. Both alerts included residence hall contact information and on campus resources such as Western’s Counseling Center, the Equal Opportunity Office, the Queer Resource Center, the LGBTQ+ director, Consultation and Sexual Assault Support and University Police. University Police are investigating the incidents, according to a campus advisory alert sent to students on April 25. According to Western’s Safety and Emergency Information, Western Alerts are sent when there is an imminent threat to the health and safety of campus, while Campus Advisories are sent when there is a situation of concern.
