Hundreds of faculty, staff and students stood up last Thursday in support of those affected by offensive Yik Yak posts.

The crowd rallied as organizers cried, “When we say ‘we can do,’ you shout ‘better’!”

When asked why they chose the slogan “We Can Do Better,” Stephanie Logan, assistant professor in the College of Education, co-organizer and MC of the event cited the recent negative experiences of students with forms of student support services on campus.

Logan encouraged students, faculty, and staff to “Take a look at themselves,” and ask, “How can I be a better person?”

Logan’s hope for this event was to come to bring light to the situation and make everyone aware that things like this do happen, even on UNI’s campus.

While the rally was considered to be successful, organizers plan to make the Day of Solidarity a yearly event. Logan, her collegues Catherine MacGillivray and Kerri Clopton chose the theme of making a change to invoke an environment of positive support that can strengthen over time.

“We felt that as a community, we can do better” said Logan. “Students should have experiences where they are made comfortable…and so as an institution we just felt…we can do right by our students…there’s room for improvement.”

The campus will continue collaborating to help one another even after the rally, said Logan. 

According to Logan, the College of Education and Women and Gender Studies program are actively searching for ways to expand, connect with and support other groups on campus. They have been contacted by several student groups wishing to document their stories. 

Students who want to share their narratives can contact a faculty or staff member who have displayed the  “We Can Do Better” placards outside their offices.  While the faculty or staff member may not know the answer, they can connect the student to those who can help.  

The student and faculty members who shared stories at the event made a real impact, she said. Those on campus have mentioned that they would like to hear more stories from other students and see more done. She is working on increasing awareness and planning events to continue helping people remember the issue.

Meanwhile, Logan and colleagues will continue to try to make a difference and approach the matter as a “unified front.”