University Encourages Students to Report 'Incidents of Discomfort' to Campus Emergency Hotline

An Oregon university has launched a “Speak Up” webpage that encourages students to report “incidents of discomfort” to its public safety department.

“We ask members of our community to SPEAK UP and report alleged incidents of discrimination and incidents of discomfort regarding observed or experienced interactions of intolerance,” the University of Portland stated on the page.

To report such incidents, students are asked to call the university’s public safety department, a 24/7 emergency service that includes a director, two sergeants and nine public safety officers.

Image source: University of Portland

Listed next on the webpage under “Reporting Options” are the Title IX, student conduct and human resources departments.

“The University of Portland takes seriously its responsibility to provide an inclusive environment for all members of our community,” UP Director of Marketing and Communication Rachel Barry-Arquit told The College Fix in an email.

UP’s campus paper, the Beacon, reported that Speak Up was launched last month because “students of color feel isolated on campus” due to the widespread use of microaggressions on campus.

“The creation of this webpage reflects our desire to create a welcoming community for everyone. Campus safety is simply one of the many resources available and would be up to the discretion of the individual as to whether public safety needed to be involved,” Barry-Arquit told College Fix.

Barry-Arquit added that the “broad” use of the words “incidents of discomfort” was intentional, “as each person within the community would likely describe a different situation or experience that would define that description.”

According to UP’s website, the private Catholic college is a top-ranked school with about 5,000 students.

“[W]e strive to promote a safe environment where all people can live, work and learn,” campus leaders wrote on the university website. “We ask all of our students, faculty and staff for a willingness to enter into conversations that celebrate the backgrounds of all people and foster an inclusive community.”

(H/T: The College Fix)