The University of North Dakota (UND) has a proposed “gender inclusion” policy that infringes on the free speech rights of students, faculty, staff, and visitors and creates an unhealthy student housing environment.
Although the proposed policy has been removed from the UND website, the North Dakota Catholic Conference saved a copy posted in the fall of 2021. As you can read, the policy goes beyond setting rules for administration procedures for respecting a person’s preferred name and pronoun, and it goes beyond the claim that it only addresses the intentional misuse of pronouns. Read these two excerpts:
“Proposed policy for Programs, Activities, Facilities, and Benefits: University members may participate in university activities and programs consistent with their gender identities including, but not limited to, housing, recreation services, and activities, and camp programs.”
“Use of Facilities: Students, employees, and visitors may access restrooms, locker rooms, and other facilities consistent with their gender identity and expression and are not required to use UND facilities inconsistent with their gender identity and expression or to use alternative facilities.”
The details of the proposal can be found here.
This policy is in the proposal stage, but since there is no indication that the University has stopped the procedure from putting it in place, your calls are needed now!
Take Action! – Contact the following people and ask them to reject UND’s proposed “gender inclusion” policy. Your message does not need to be long. If you send an email, be sure to include your name and mailing address. Please remember to be courteous.
- Mayor Brandon Bochenski: (701)746-2607 | bbochenski@grandforksgov.com.
- UND President Andrew Armacost: (701)222-2121 | armacost@UND.edu
- Assistant Vice President of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Donna Smith: (701) 777-4172 | smith@UND.edu
- Forward this on to family and friends!
Pray! We ask for continued prayer that truth and righteousness prevail. Pray for each individual by name as you contact them. “… to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:18)
Linda Thorson
State Director