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.”