The Gonzaga Institute for Action Against Hate was founded as a positive and enduring vehicle for combating hate and hate crimes on campuses and in communities throughout the nation. While numerous government and non-governmental organizations are working against hate, the Institute is the only organization whose primary goal is to focus multi-disciplinary academic resources on the causes and effects of hate as well as potential strategies for combating hate.

Named for its founder, a 1986 law school graduate, the Holocaust/Human Rights Project helps to ensure that the precedential value of Holocaust-related law is fully realized and applied to state-sponsored human rights violations today. The project also organizes major conferences to address specific legal issues related to the Holocaust and other human rights violations, such as the annual Kupferschmid lecture.

The main goal of this ecologically minded group is to raise awareness of environmental issues and to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Environmental service projects and field trips are sponsored each year.