Kansas State University

Safe Zone to host introductory workshop May 29

Submitted by Debra Jane Bolton

The Kansas State University Safe Zone program, in the Department of Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs, invites you to a Faculty and Staff Workshop from 10 a.m. to noon May 29 online via Zoom. This workshop is an introductory workshop for faculty and staff who wish to learn more about campus resources to become a better ally for our campus community.  

Please reserve your place now. The Zoom link will be sent out to all participants the night before the scheduled Workshop.

This introductory workshop session includes presentations from Safe Zone partner offices including the CARE Office, Office of Student Life, LGBT Resource Center, Intercultural Learning and Development, and Counseling Services with a focus on faculty and staff rights and responsibilities. Attendees should gain knowledge of campus resources and communities with the development of skills to assist students and colleagues.

Safe Zone exists to provide open and affirming "spaces" throughout the K-State campus where individuals affected by marginalization, discrimination, violence, aggression and other forms of exclusion can go for support and assistance. Kansas State University faculty, staff, students and community members can become Safe Zone allies as a way to show publicly their commitment to understanding human difference, and promoting equity across campus and community.

Safe Zone continues to be part of Kansas State University's efforts to create an open and affirming campus since the 1970s. Safe Zone was created to help those facing sexual orientation discrimination. Revitalization of the initiative in 2002 created a more comprehensive and ever-evolving Safe Zone effort to fit the needs of current K-State community members. Allies become educated to help those coming from a variety of backgrounds and identities with needs concerning exclusionary acts like intimidation, micro and macro aggressions, discrimination, LGBTQ-related concerns or sexual violence.

For more information, contact Debra Bolton, director of intercultural learning and academic success, at dbolton@k-state.edu; or Brandon Haddock, student services coordinator, DMSA and LGBT Resource Center, at bhaddock@k-state.edu.