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SIGNS OF CHANGE
USD to pilot gender-inclusive restrooms By Cheyenne Alexis
Cheyenne.Alexis@coyotes.usd.edu
Single-stall restrooms in buildings across campus will be getting a new upgrade very soon. The President’s Council for Diversity and Inclusiveness has approved the signs and procedure for gender-inclusive restrooms on USD’s campus. This change will be made to benefit many people, according to officials, such as individuals with disabilities who have caretakers of a different gender, gender-diverse or non-conforming individuals and parents with children of a different gender. With a proposed gender-inclusive facilities plan, initiated by Travis Letellier, a visiting professor of economics, and former vice president of diversity, Jesus Trevino, single occupancy restrooms with a lock will be getting signs put up within the next few months. Kim Grieve, dean of students and vice president of student services, said the policy has been discussed this year for ideas on signs, and the Executive Council approved this “about a year ago.”
“We’re in the midst of waiting to decide on different signage,” Grieve said. “It’s really had nice progress — it’s certainly something that’s really important to the institution as we move forward with our commitment to inclusive excellence.” There are around 50-60 single-occupancy restrooms on campus, according to Letellier. “Those bathrooms can be easily gender-inclusive,” Letellier said. “It would be very easy for us at the university to basically, instead of labeling them as being gendered for either male or female gender, to open it up to families. (For instance), mothers who have sons, fathers who have daughters or if you are an adult and you have a parent or child you have to take care of who is the opposite gender.” According to Letellier, the next step in setting the policy into motion is having the president’s executive committee for the university look at implementing the procedure for actually changing the signs of the restrooms. The way this policy is being set up is through a pilot program, Le-
tellier said. First, the restrooms in the MUC, housing and the Wellness Center will change, because they’re “high-trafficking” areas. The reason for starting at only two areas is to test the response from the community and see how it plays out before moving on to the other buildings. “We can kind of get feedback from people,” Letellier said. “We want to make sure that, as we implement the policy, we do it in the most effective way possible. It’s better to do it at a smaller scale… if we do it on a small scale, then it’s really easy to correct it. The idea would be to roll it out slowly, doing a couple buildings at a time.” Putting the signs up will be up to facilities management depending on the building, and the cost for each sign will vary in price. The ones being recommended are $26.39, and will be purchased individually. “It’s not a large enough order that I think would require a contract,” Grieve said. Rather than an actual See SIGNS, Page A3
Funeral for USD student announced By Volante Staff
volante@coyotes.usd.edu
Funeral and memorial services have been set for Benjamin Marchand, a first-year honors student majoring in biology at USD who died Saturday morning. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. at the Custer Armory, according to an email sent to students Tuesday afternoon from the Office of the Vice President/Dean of Students. There will also be a community gathering in Marchand’s memory Thursday at the Center for Diversity & Community at 4 p.m. Attendees of the gathering will have the opportunity to write in a memory book that will be presented to the Marchand family. Marchand’s death was announced Saturday morning via an email from Kim Grieve, the dean of students at USD. “Benjamin Marchand, a freshman honors student majoring in biology passed away this morning,” Grieve said in the email. “Counseling is available in Beede Hall for all community members.” Grieve also urged students in the email to “keep Benjamin’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.”
‘Silent witnesses’ are on display in the library as part of domestic violence awareness month.
Students bring awareness to domestic violence By Miki Kennerly
Miki.Kennerly@coyotes.usd.edu
October was domestic violence awareness month and USD groups got involved to spread awareness on the topic. The University of South Dakota annual Cleary Report reported one case of domestic violence, as well as two cases of dating violence in 2015. Bridget Diamond-Welch, assistant professor of criminal justice shed light on the important problem. “The fact the numbers (of reports of domestic violence and
sexual assault on campus) are so low is a problem,” she said. “It means students aren’t reporting their victimization.” This fact alone is evidence to why USD student organizations choose to do so much for the cause. In years past, there have been several events held by different student organizations in order to make students aware of the troubling problem of domestic violence. Last year, Pi Kappa Alpha and other USD students walked around Vermillion in high heels in an event called Walk a Mile in
her Shoes 5k event, which cost $10 to participate. For the second year in a row, the Criminal Justice Club held a fundraising event called the Domestic Violence Supply drive, organized by sophomore Austin Thompson. “The goal of the domestic violence supply drive is to collect donated items for the purposed of giving them to Vermillion’s Domestic Violence Safe Option Services,” Thompson said. “DVSOS then will offer them to victims of domestic violence who are in need or are struggling financially.” The drive collect basic essen-
International students share university experiences, offer insight on possible recruiting strategies abroad By Devin Martin
Devin.Martin@coyotes.usd.edu
Nervous thoughts were going through first-year foreign exchange student Subharaj Pal’s mind as he pictured what his life might be like in the United States. What kind of people would be there? What conditions would society be like? Pal said it was by realizing all people are the same that helped ease his nerves from leaving Tripera, India and coming to Vermillion, South Dakota. “The lifestyle is different, the basic things are the same,” Pal said. USD offers many programs to help foreign exchange students adapt to life in the United States as recruitment options work. USD also offers aid to students looking to study abroad as well. Tomáš Kameník a graduate assistant at the International Office,
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Sexual assault under VPD investigation By Devin Martin
In Russia, we tend to rely more on our family and our views are formed and shaped by our family. Here you feel more independent and people support you whatever you are...” Vladimir Budovkin, foreign exhchange student
said the International Club is one resource international students have available to help them adjust to life in the United States. “(The International Club tries to) promote domestic students and international students together,” Kameník said. “International
tials such as shampoo, body wash, diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, dish soap and laundry soap and gift cards to retail stores. Senior criminal justice major Gage Plueger also took part in the event. “I wanted to get involved with the supply drive because domestic violence is an issue that seems to be brushed under the table sometimes,” he said. “When I see a need for others, I do pretty much all I can to make their situation better, and this is just one of those things I felt obligated to do.”
students come here and they try to experience this culture and it’s so hard for them outside of their international group if they don’t know any domestic students. It gets them connected, which is important.” Foreign exchange student
Vladimir Budovkin said having a connection with domestic students is important for international students: “I’ve learned something from Americans, the way they are indeSee RECRUIT, Page A3
Devin.Martin@coyotes.usd.edu
A sexual assault was reported Monday morning in Beede Hall. UPD Director Pete Jensen said the assault reportedly happened early Sunday morning. Jensen added that the victim was a USD student who has been interviewed by police and has been offered counseling and support services by the university. The Vermillion Police Department is handling the investigation to identify the reported accuser. According to Jensen, it’s not known if the second person is a student or not. There are no charges pending.