LGBTQIA+ students participate in annual town hall

Event attended by a university president for first time

President Marc Parlange attends the LGBTQIA+ Town Hall and makes statements about campus diversity and inclusion. PHOTO CREDIT: Siobhan Richards

The LGBTQIA+ Town Hall, organized annually by the Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC), has taken place since February 2012, but never with the president of the University of Rhode Island.

Last week, members of the community met at the GSC to discuss LGBTQIA+ related issues on campus today with new President Marc Parlange. 

Annie Russell, the director of the GSC, acknowledged Parlange’s immediate efforts to move towards diversity and inclusion at the beginning of the town hall meeting. 

“I am always interested in making sure that we provide opportunities for students to speak their truth to power,” Russell said. “College provides a critical time for many students to learn how to step into their voices of self advocacy.” 

During the meeting, individuals raised concerns about academic freedom, the lack of representation in university marketing, safe zone training requirements and more. 

On the topic of academic freedom, students voiced their concerns about URI gender and women’s studies professor Donna Hughes. In March 2021, Hughes received major backlash on campus in response to a statement that she made in an article published online that many students labeled as transphobic. One student asked Parlange how the University plans to make transgender students feel safer in the classroom, and if students will be informed about Hughes’ views prior to course enrollment. 

“We are living in a time that is more polarized than ever,” Parlange said. “It’s an important time for us to reflect on university values and look at the question of academic freedom.”

Parlange said that he believes there is a duty to foster the well-being of the community within academia and a lot of work needs to be done to fulfill that at URI. 

Russell pointed out that Parlange said that the University shouldn’t use academic freedom as an excuse to hurt people, saying that it was special.

“I think he was very clear about not using academic freedom as an excuse for people to be able to spread bias,” Russell said. “I have not heard that from a university president here.”

Rosaria Pisa, the chair of the gender and women’s studies department, attended the town hall, and said that academic freedom as a concept needs to be explored when it comes as an excuse to make students feel unsafe on campus. 

When asked about the possibility of requiring safe zone training for all faculty, staff and students, Vice President of Student Affairs Kathy Collins explained that the collective bargaining agreement between labor unions and universities makes it difficult to require training for certain faculty and staff. 

“We would have to negotiate required training within their contracts,” Collins said. “I think what we could do as an institution is look at how we commit to getting trained those individuals that we can.”

Katie Riedy, a first-year transfer student and staff member at the GSC, said that implementing the training into URI 101 courses would be a “great starting point.” 

The lack of LGBTQIA+ representation in University marketing was another issue addressed at the town hall. 

“I hear from students and community members a feeling of sterilization,” said an individual discussing URI’s marketing imagery. “Oftentimes we feel unrepresented because there are never clear signifiers of LGBTQIA+ identities.” 

Parlange said he would support initiatives to change the lack of LGBTQIA+ representation in campus media. 

“It is important that our cultures and values are shared, and that we offer a warm and inclusive environment,” Parlange said. 

Towards the end of the town hall, a student expressed their frustration with the “unceremonious” termination of the Gender Equity and Leadership in Sexuality Learning Living Community. The student said that many would like to see Housing and Residential Life bring the program back and offer more formal support and advertisement. According to Collins, this subject matter is “always open to discussion.”

Several more issues were discussed regarding art installations created for LGBTQIA+ members, the creation of gender-inclusive restrooms, having more non-student support for the GSC and increasing wages for underprivileged student workers. 

Noah Savastano, a URI alum and former staff member at the GSC, found the town hall was a success. 

“I feel confident that the new president does support LGBT students and does want the community more included and recognized throughout the school,” Savastano said. 

Parlange said the most important thing for him during the town hall meeting was to listen, learn and ask what type of University everyone wants to attend. 

“A lot of the questions asked are questions that I think about every day when thinking about our community,” Parlange said.

According to Russell, the GSC plans to stay in close communication with Parlange about the issues discussed. 

“You will hear from me constantly until we have made some significant progress,” said Russell. “I believe in exponential change. These are plans, not dreams.”