North Dakota State offers a variety of support systems for the LGBTQ+ community, hoping to provide a safe and comprehensive education for all students on campus. That doesn’t mean students are feeling the effects of these efforts.
“Acceptance and welcoming of people who are LGBTQ+ doesn’t seem to be highlighted here at NDSU in the same way racial or ethnic diversity is,” Tyler Bassett said when asked about how he feels as an LGBTQ+ student on NDSU campus.
“The LGBTQ+ community is under-represented and advocated for. In my experience, this is extremely overwhelming because I don’t know who to talk to. This pulled in a whole spectrum of emotional health problems for me in social life and work life,” Bassett added.
NDSU participates in Pride Month, Transgender Day of Remembrance and the Day of Silence to help raise LGBTQ+ awareness; however, that doesn’t always seem like enough.
“I really haven’t heard of any lately,” Bassett answered when asked about his involvement in LGBTQ+ events on campus. “Now that I think about it, NDSU’s support groups, educational outreach and LGBTQ+ safe havens seem to be lacking.”
Support groups are supposed to be available for students who are coming out, students who are transitioning or who are facing other difficulties as members of the LGBTQ+ population.
The ally program on campus allows LGBTQ+ students to request roommates who are either other LGBTQ+ individuals or an ally. An ally is any straight individual who is supportive of LGBTQ+ rights.
The Safe Zone Ally Program is a program that allows allies to go through training to help LGBTQ+ students. The NDSU website contains a comprehensive list of allies with Safe Zone capabilities as well as the level of training they’ve committed to. Creating this program as a visible network of allies around campus is meant to provide support for NDSU LGBTQ+ individuals.
The NDSU Campus Police Department is always available to students who feel unsafe. This can involve situations of harassment as well as situations where a student doesn’t feel safe walking to their car. NDSU police provide escorts around campus and there’s an app called Pathlight that allows the NDSU police to track students virtually around campus. If anyone ever feels unsafe, they’re encouraged to contact the NDSU campus police.
“In the beginning, it can be scary,” Bassett said about his experiences as part of the LGBTQ+ community. “It can be a struggle deciding who to open up to, how, where and when to come out.”
The NDSU police phone number is 701-231-8998 and officers can be reached 24 hours a day.
Bias reports are a large part of keeping NDSU’s campus safe for LGBTQ+ students. Hard copies of the bias reports are available in the Main Library, at Bison Connection in the Memorial Union and outside Suite 201 in Old Main. These can be dropped off at the front desk of the Vice Provost for Faculty and Equity, NDSU Campus, Old Main, Suite 201 or it can be mailed (with or without a return address) to NDSU, Vice Provost for Faculty and Equity, Department 2000, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050 or email it to ndsu.eoaa@ndsu.edu.