Patrick Chapman, a South Puget Sound Community College professor, has received two anonymous death threats in the last two years: a written threat in 2004 and a voice mail at his home in January (received a few days after The Olympian published a letter to the editor from Chapman about gay rights issues) in which the caller said, “Thinking of dying?” The voice mail was reported to the local police department.

Tumwater police didn’t file a report about it because the call was anonymous, making it tough for law enforcement officers to follow up on the case, said administrative supervisor Debbie Zimmerman. But she said victims of threatening calls should be more aware of their surroundings and let the police know whether they receive any additional threats, including threats at work.

In general, such threats rarely are reported, Zimmerman said.Most threats occur between two people who know each other, when an argument escalates or when alcohol is involved, she said.

In an effort to make the college an environment as open to diversity as possible, Chapman, along with six other South Puget Sound Community College professors, will be teaching a course on diverse sexualities, “Diverse Sexualities and Culture,” starting in April.

The first 40-student class section filled up two days after spring registration began, Chapman said. So the college decided to offer a second time slot, for which students still are registering.