Hate Crimes on campus?

Is there racism on campus? How that question is answered depends on who you speak with. In reference to an online publication of The Mirror from February 23, 2006:

According to Fairfield University's "Uniform Campus Crime Report," hate crimes are defined as "crimes involving bodily injury to any person in which the victim is intentionally selected because of the actual or perceived race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity or disability of the victim that are reported to campus authorities or local police agencies.

"In technical terms, Fairfield has experienced no hate crimes in recent history; however, the university has encountered what Director of Public Safety Todd Pelazza refers to as "bias-related incidents."

Can bias be a synonym for racism- many students feel that the meanings do not match up. Instead of calling incidents Hate Crimes, it could be viewed that the university doesn't view it as such and thus does not feel that these incidents are severe as those who are victimized. Perhaps it is time for this institution to revamp their terminology.

Still curious about what Fairfield's policy on hate crimes? Check out the Dept. of Public Safety and see what they have to say.