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The University Of Rhode Island’S Response To Student Protest, Caitlin Blomquist

Academic History

This paper describes and analyzes a crisis at the University of Rhode Island. The university had a reputation as a very homophobic campus, and some students and staff felt that the administration was not doing enough to combat harassment and discrimination. For eight consecutive days in September 2010, ten students occupied a space in the campus library, demanding that the university enact specific measures to improve the campus climate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender students. This paper presents how the crisis unfolded, details the university’s response, and offers a critique of the response.