In September, Campus Pride Blog chronicled the efforts of LGBTQI and straight ally student leaders at the University of Rhode Island in their quest to ensure safer and more welcoming learning, living and working environments on campus.

In response to several anti-LGBTQI incidents on campus and lackisdaisical response by university administrators, several students began a 24-hour sit-in in the student union. The protest lasted for two weeks, until students received many of the requests they'd made of URI administration.

Last week, URI administrators made good on another student request; URI has hired its first-ever associate vice chancellor for community, equity and diversity.

According to The Providence Journal, Kelly Friedman, the former executive director of diversity and equity at the University of Vermont, began work in the associate vice president position last week.

Friedman will report directly to URI President David Dooley and will supervise the Women’s Center; Multicultural Center; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Transgender Center; the Bias Incident Response Team; and the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity.

Read up on the history of URI's LGBTQI student protest...

Campus Pride has been following student protesting and organizing on the issue of LGBT campus safety at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I.

The protest led this week to university administrators meeting one of the many demands made by students.

Today, the student newspaper, The Good 5 Cent Cigar, issued a wonderful staff editorial, writing in part:

There is no reason that any student should need escorted protection on campus. There is no reason why anyone should have obscenities yelled at him while walking to class. There is no reason that any student should be made to feel that any aspect of their background, lifestyle or being is wrong.
Whether one agrees with the monetary goals of the GLBT protest is irrelevant, because their rightful cause for complaint goes beyond asking for a new building or an increase in staff. These students are asking for a basic level of respect and consideration that is being denied to them every day on this campus.
As a student body, we need to take a closer look at our own attitudes toward one another. That a group of students feels so disrespected that they find it necessary to make a very public protest in order to have their voice heard shows a disturbing lack of openness and consideration among the student body. That some have responded to the GLBT group's complaints with hateful rhetoric and vandalism further goes to show that students aren't listening.

Read the rest of the editorial board's sentiments, and check out Campus Pride's past coverage of the URI student protests.

On Monday, student protesters at the University of Rhode Island sent this update:

September 27, 2010 – The University administration has agreed to reinstate the two faculty members that had been unjustly reorganized out of their previous meeting positions. Despite this victory, the President still refuses to make room for the students to meet with him and address the other issues. The next workable meeting is not until Thursday morning. The students are still going to stay in the 24-hour room until all of their demands are completely met, regardless of when the administration will find the time to deal with the issues of campus climate and safety.

See Campus Pride's past coverage of the LGBT student protest at URI...

Another update from the University of Rhode Island in Campus Pride's continuing coverage of the student initiative is below. You can read past protest updates here: /category/tags/university-rhode-island

Protest Leader Verbally Assaulted
September 24, 2010 – University of Rhode Island – Today the student leader of the LGBT Protest on campus was verbally assaulted on his way to class. When Brian Stack heard a student behind him yell that someone's backpack was "faggy" he shouted back that the student should not use that language. The offending student then yelled “fuck you faggot” at Stack. When Stack asked the student to identify himself he did not, and no one in the area was willing to identify the harassing student.. Attacks like this have been recurring since the protest began and are examples of the daily experience for LGBT students at URI.

Campus Pride has been following a student protest on LGBT campus safety at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I. (Photo right: URI junior Brian Stack, president of the campus' Gay-Straight Alliance, is helping to organize the protest. Source: Providence Journal.)

Statement from LGBT student organizers, Sept. 23, 8 p.m.:
The University of Rhode Island administration has refused to take a stance on any of the demands. In response to the University's lack of commitment to solving these issues, the GLBT students and their allies continue the protest. The students feel that if President Dooley had a strong commitment to solving these issues he would have flown back from California as other presidents have done during previous protests. The students remain resilient in their determination to address the issues of campus safety and climate.

Statement from URI administration
The Providence Journal reported on Sept. 24, 2010 that university administration had "responded" to the LGBT student protest. That response was contained in a two-page statement dated Sept. 24 with comments from President David Dooley and Donald DeHayes, provost and vice president of academic affairs. Download and read the statement (PDF) here.

See Campus Pride's statement in support of the students, and other Campus Pride coverage of the protest.

News round-up

Students protest to stop hate against LGBTIQQ students
by Noelle Myers, Sept. 24, 2010, The Good 5 Cent Cigar, University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island students filled the library's 24-hour room as of midnight Wednesday night to protest against harassment and discrimination toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. Read the rest...

Protest held at URI over harassment of gay students
By Donita Naylor, Sept. 24, 2010, The Providence Journal
University of Rhode Island officials have responded to a student sit-in at the library by acknowledging that gay and lesbian students have endured discrimination. Read the rest...

GBLT students stage sit-in at URI library
NBC 10 WJAR, Providence New Bedford

Read more from NBC 10

Yesterday and this morning, Campus Pride Blog has been covering the LGBT student protest at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I. Campus Pride has also given our statement of support.

Student organizer Brian Stack sends us the following breaking news:
At 12:01am Thursday September 23, 2010 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students began a peaceful sit-in at the University of Rhode Island Library¹s 24-hour room. Despite support from the students, the URI Administration has encouraged the URI press to not cover the protest. The students at the protest remain firm in their belief that the University Administration needs to address the issues of harassment and discrimination that have led to the unsafe environment on campus.

For more information about the protest please contact Brian Stack, 413-949-6227, [email protected].

UPDATE (Sept. 23, 1:45 p.m.): EDGE reporter Michael K. Lavers filed a story this afternoon, and spoke to a University of Rhode Island spokesperson regarding the alleged media block.

According to EDGE:

URI spokesperson Linda Acciardo told EDGE neither she or anyone else in her office was aware the sit-in was going to take place when they spoke to a local television station late on Wednesday, Sept. 22. She denied university administrators discouraged coverage of the protest.

"This is a public university, a public campus and [this is] a dialogue we expect to be in the public domain," said Acciardo.

Read the rest of that story here...

Students at the University of Rhode Island have been protesting anti-LGBT campus climate since 12:01 a.m. this morning. Earlier, we posted a press release from the group and Campus Pride's statement of support. The students have sent us some photos from their peaceful protest.

Students stand outside the University Library prior to entering the 24-hour room for their protest

LGBT Student Protest Underway: Campus Pride supports student efforts to increase LGBT safety at University of Rhode Island

Campus Pride cites protest as real life example of findings in the "2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT People" to be released today at U.S. congressional briefing on Capitol Hill

(Washington, D.C. -- Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010) Tonight at 12:01 a.m., University of Rhode Island students began protesting college administrators by engaging in a peaceful, direct action to call attention to the unsafe environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students, faculty and staff on the campus. Read the official press release online at www.CampusPrideBlog.org.

Campus Pride, the nation’s largest non-profit organization working with LGBT and ally college and university students, offers its unwavering support of students’ right to expect safe, welcoming and inclusive learning and campus environments at their institutions of higher education.

“Students, faculty and staff at the University of Rhode Island have every right to demand their university administration fulfill its duties in ensuring safe climates for campus learning, living and working,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director and founder of Campus Pride. “We stand with University of Rhode Island students, faculty and staff in requesting administrators respond to needs on campus and act decisively to curb anti-LGBT bias incidents, acts of violence.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 22, 2010

Media Contact:
Brian Stack 413-949-6227 [email protected]
http://www.uri.edu/glbt

Midnight Tonight: Students Protest LGBT Campus Safety at University of Rhode Island

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students stand united and demand campus administrators enact inclusive safety and climate measures

KINGSTON, R.I. – Student leaders with the University of Rhode Island’s GLBT Center and Gay-Straight Alliance will participate in a nonviolent, direct action protest to demand University administration take immediate steps to ensure the safety and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, faculty and staff.

Tonight at 12:01 a.m., University of Rhode Island students will occupy the 24-hour room in the University Library and are vigilant in remaining there until their requests for LGBT institutional support are met by college administrators.

On-campus harassment in learning spaces, common areas, residence halls and elsewhere is among several issues being protested by the students. They allege that some staff and students who have spoken out against the harassment have been intimidated into submission by the University administration.

“We have had students throwing used condoms into students’ rooms, drawing offensive images on people’s doors, and an epidemic of people yelling ‘faggots’ as they drive by the GLBT Center,” says Brian Stack, a junior and protest organizer, whose concerns are echoed by other students.

Says sophomore Justin Willner, a staff member at the GLBT Center: “The atmosphere on the Kingston campus makes it clear I am second rate and my wellbeing is not valued.”

Student leaders representing the LGBT community have met with University administrators, including Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Dougan, to discuss and implement solutions. Despite having ample time to do so, there has been little concrete progress to ensure the safety and equality of LGBT students, faulty and staff, and Dougan admits he has failed the LGBT community.

Among the students' demands are a new GLBT Center to replace the inadequate and unsafe facility currently housed in a freshman residence hall. Students also say they want an increased budget for LGBT programming – the GLBT Center finds itself understaffed, undercompensated, and without the resources needed to serve its growing community or offer workplace and sensitivity training for faculty, staff, and students.

The students’ direct action protest is peaceful and nonviolent. At all times, a door will be left open for access in and out of the room. Members of the University community, family members and the press are invited to join in the protest. Student organizers encourage other students, faculty and staff to skip their classes in protest and join them in the 24-hour room until the college administration addresses the protest concerns.

Note: One of the protest organizers Brian Stack is a graduate of the Campus Pride Summer Leadership Camp. The camp was held this past July on the campus of Vanderbilt University. http://www.campuspride.org/camp.asp