Before the break, I wrote a Beacon opinion article informing our university about the progress made thus far in the effort to add gender identity to the nondiscrimination policy. To recap, ASUP passed a resolution formally recommending that the administration provide institutional protections by explicitly adding gender identity to the university’s anti-discrimination statement. However, after more than a year of advocacy, student leaders were not provided with clear steps forward, and there was no plan to implement this addition. In response, ASUP and GSP began organizing plans for a demonstration, as discussed in the previous article. Now, after further discussions with President Kelly, I am happy to provide an update on our progress.
Contrary to previous information student leaders received, we were recently informed that amendments to the nondiscrimination policy do indeed require a vote by the Board of Regents. Plans are now in place to bring this topic up for discussion at the January Board meeting later this month, followed by a vote on the issue at the next Board of Regents meeting in May.
I am disappointed that a Board vote was not scheduled immediately following the passage of ASUP legislation in 2023, and I have no answer as to why. At the same time, I am encouraged by the progress made and look forward to the next steps. With this new information, student leaders from ASUP and GSP have decided not to move forward with the planned demonstration at this time.
I recognize the urgency of this issue, especially with the presidential inauguration just days away and Title IX amendments likely in the pipeline. As one of many trans students at UP and beyond, I am deeply concerned for my future and am eager to do everything in my power to ensure my community’s safety. At the same time, I am mindful of the climate of fear surrounding student demonstrations nationally. The plans for a demonstration were made in response to the university's lack of a plan of action. However, given the new information and steps underway, we believe that focusing on institutional channels will provide the best chance for the policy change to succeed while ensuring the safety of our trans students. While demonstrations and collaboration are not mutually exclusive, we feel that prioritizing collaboration with university leadership is the most effective path forward at this time.
We are committed to finding alternative ways to involve the larger student body in this conversation. Although we are not moving forward with a demonstration, we do not want this issue to remain confined to discussions among university leadership. Rest assured, we will not stop pushing to add gender identity to the nondiscrimination policy, and I am confident that this change will be achieved through continued student advocacy and collaboration with the administration. Plans for a demonstration and/or larger student actions will resume if the current timeline for a Board of Regents vote is not followed.
Please feel free to reach out at any time with questions or to connect in community.
Shane Ruyle is a junior at the University of Portland. He can be reached at ruyle26@up.edu.
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