It’s an incident that should upset everyone on a university campus, a place reserved for open-minded study of the world.

A black MSU student opened her Case Hall door recently to find a threatening racial slur written across a Case Hall Back Caucus poster. Too often, other minority students on campus are put in similar situations.

Racist actions, including an Auburn University fraternity incident where members wore blackface for Halloween, are too common on college campuses. But hate speech should never be tolerated anywhere in the world - let alone a place where dozens of countries, races and backgrounds are represented.

MSU officials must step up and take action to ensure campus is a welcoming place for everyone. Students in the Case Hall Black Caucus, as well as the numerous other student groups representing racial, ethnic, religious or social minorities on campus, try to promote the importance of diversity - but they must have the full support of the university in their quest to educate our campus.

Diversity workshops for all students living in residence halls would be a worthwhile start.

It’s disgusting someone took 30 seconds out of his or her life to pick up a pen, think of what to write and deface the poster in Case Hall. Unfortunately, more than 40 years after the civil rights movement, too many people still don’t get it.

They were never taught about the importance of a diverse community, or were raised in places where it was OK to discriminate.

But those people need to realize they’re at a university now, and ignorance is no longer an acceptable excuse.

A valuable lesson could be learned from the golden rule. Do unto others as they would do unto you - and do it before it’s too late.