Michael Phillis/Collegian

Nearly a week after the campus was shaken by an attack that left one student hospitalized and another, who is accused of screaming homophobic slurs at the victim, behind bars, University of Massachusetts students, faculty and administrative officials gathered in a open forum last night to discuss the incident and possible solutions to insure that a similar crime will never happen again.

Tony Brennan, 24, of 5 Dawes Ave, Winchester, Mass., on Sunset Avenue in Amherst was arrested outside MacKimmie residence hall at 12:06 a.m. after an altercation that left one 20-year-old UMass student with a concussion and severe injuries to his face, including a fractured eye socket.

UMass detective Lt. Robert A. Thrasher, lead investigator in last week’s incident, was on-hand to explain the process and progress of his investigation and the steps the local police are taking to protect students from hate crimes.

“Everyone in the administration is aware of the problem, and we are working to address these issues further,” said Thrasher.

Associate Vice Chancellor of the Center for Student Affairs and Campus Life Byron Bullock participated in the forum, stating the Center is moving towards addressing the concerns of prejudice being felt and seen on campus.

“There’s a lot that the Center can do and will be doing in the near future to address some of your concerns. I think it’s productive to get people in a room to discuss these issues and how they impact us in our daily lives,” said Bullock. “As we continue to build the Center we’re looking at ways to create more of a student voice to increase the opportunity for students to come forward to talk about these issues.”

One of the forum participants, UMass graduate student Joshua Mason, criticized the administration for their silence since the attack.

“The administration is here to respond to these types of problems immediately,” said Mason. “Their voices should be booming from the rooftops, and as of right now, nothing has been said.”

Speakers praised the University for their efforts to improvise diversity on campus but said that bringing diversity to campus is only half the battle.

“The administration needs to understand that diversity isn’t all about numbers,” said Mason. “Yes, bring people here, but understand that after certain people arrive they feel very segregated.”

One sobbing female said she was disappointed that an attack on a student was needed in order for the administration to seriously address issues of diversity on campus.

“The University has addressed the issue of diversity for years, but it’s been a particularly narrow view of diversity. I think it’s pathetic that it took this kind of event for the University to realize that homophobia on campus is very real,” said the sobbing woman.

“I don’t think we’re doing enough, I don’t think we’re discussing this enough. We need to go crazy about this. There’s a lot more we can do,” said UMass student Christopher Dunay.

Brennan has been charged with aggravated assault and battery, assault and battery to intimidate someone based on race, creed or sexual orientation with bodily injury involved, and civil right violations.

Matt Belliveau can be reached at [email protected].