The Volante W E D N E S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 0 , 2 0 2 1
THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887 SPORTS (B1, B2)
Both basketball teams add new assistant coach to their staff
VOLANTEONLINE.COM VERVE (B3, B4)
Percussion Ensemble Christens Colton Recital Hall
USD Men and Women basketball teams will both be welcoming a new member to their teams. Finding themselves on the sideline this year are Eddie Hill and Ariel Braker.
The USD Percussion Ensemble performed their fall concert in the Colton Recital Hall, which featured performances by the community high school percussion ensemble and the Caribbean Coyotes Steel Band.
THE CDC: LEAVING AN IMPACT ON DIVERSITY AT USD
Submitted Photo | The Volante Lamont Sellers created the CDC in 2014. Currently he is the director of intercultural student affairs at Appalachian State University. Sellers was hired at USD as the inaugural director of the CDC.
Bennett Clary | The Volante
Sellers said the main goals of the CDC were to celebrate, support and educate about diversity, equity and inclusion, while working to support minority and marginalized students, giving them a safe space and trustworthy people to talk to.
those that were majority could
director, he said his three goals
come and be in the space, engage
for the CDC were to celebrate,
The CDC was the foundation
The Center for Diversity and
in education, conversations, all
support and educate about di-
for everything the CWC has been
Community (CDC) was created
of those kinds of things,” Sellers
versity, equity and inclusion. He
able to do to the point where
For Sellers, the CDC was the
back in November 2014 shortly
said.
said the CDC would work to sup-
Smith said the CWC is kind of a
first time in his professional ca-
Dakota Smith, the president
port minority and marginalized
subgroup of the CDC.
reer creating that kind of space,
and co-founder of the Cultural
students by giving them a safe
Smith said he hopes the back-
and he called it his baby. Sellers
Wellness Coalition (CWC) said
space and trustworthy people to
lash against these initiatives will
hopes students will continue to
changing the CDC undermines
talk to.
be taken into consideration as
have important conversations
“As we think about the strug-
students continue to speak out
about injustice and make the
gles of just being a college stu-
on these matters. He said the
space what they need.
Bennett Clary
Bennett.Clary@coyotes.usd.edu
after Lamont Sellers, the current director of intercultural student affairs at Appalachian State University, was hired at USD as the inaugural director of the CDC. Sellers, Dean of Students Kim Grieve and others worked on a proposal that called for an intergroup space. Sellers said the space wouldn’t be dedicated to any one identity group, and that
the steps USD has taken toward diversity and inclusion.
white institution.”
had a mass variety of students speak up against these initiatives,” Smith said.
“I think as we have it now, it
dent, the day to day, in and out
Board of Regents should pri-
“My hope is that there will
provides such a great space and
and all of those kinds of things,
oritize the students because all
still be students that recognize
opportunity for so many diverse
it’s a struggle to be a college stu-
South Dakota schools work for
the need for that space and that
students, and I think changing it
dent,” Sellers said. “You add to
and are funded by students.
they take it up and make it what
and limiting the way that we can
that, you bring students of color
“I won’t ever say that it’s an
it needs to be in the absence of
outright say these terms of just
from all over the United States
easy matter in terms of the de-
the real leadership that had been
is how they created the CDC
diversity and inclusion, it’s not
and around the state of South
cisions they have to make, but I
there,” Sellers said.
name.
the greatest public sign to those
Dakota, whether they are Native
think you have to keep in mind
The CWC is currently con-
“The community piece really
prospective students and those
American students, Black stu-
the opinions of your students,
sidering hosting a forum for
brought in everybody else so that
students that already go here that
dents, whether they identify as
because at the end of the day,
students to voice their opinions
it wasn’t just a space for those
we’re supporting them,” Smith
Latinx or Asian American, that
those are what matter, particu-
about the CDC changes. No plans
that identified as a minoritized
said.
adds another level of complex-
larly on this campus, because I
are finalized at this time.
ity to navigating a predominantly
know for a fact that we’ve already
or marginalized person, but also
When Sellers was initially the
School board passes gender equity policy 3-2 (students) will take advantage of
few (people) peek into my stall, all
this policy, I think we’ve seen across
because they’re supposedly afraid of
the nation that there are some that
who I am, when in reality they are
Gender
are evil, they do have evil in their
perpetuating the very behavior that
Equity and Access policy that will
hearts. They are mean-spirited, and
so many have coined is the issue.”
allow students to use restrooms of
they will attempt to use this policy to
After last week’s special meeting,
the gender with which they identify
exploit our young ones,” community
during which the school board
Monday night.
member Ryan Church said.
had its first reading of the policy,
Miles Amende
Miles.Amende@coyotes.usd.edu
The Vermillion School Board passed
a
district-wide
“Absent a compelling, specific,
In response to these concerns,
community member Leslie Gerrish
and documented concern for safety,
USD
“Beanie”
started an online petition in support
the District shall permit a student to
Luttig said that signs on doors do
of the policy. This petition reached
use the restroom for the gender with
not stop predators from going into
over 1,000 signatures by Monday
which they consistently, persistently,
bathrooms. He said fear of using the
night.
and insistently identify,” according to
restroom is a daily experience for
the policy.
transgender individuals, and that the
sections
student
Mason
The
policy
also
contained
addressing
overnight
The policy passed 3-2 after
policy would set the precedent that
accommodations and locker room
three hours of public comment and
transgender individuals deserve safe
and shower use. These sections
discussion.
access to basic necessities.
were struck from the policy after
Opponents to the policy cited safety
concerns
for
students,
“Even before I came out as transgender,
I
was
followed,
deliberation and will be reconsidered at a later date. Following the
including worries that students
harassed and threatened going into
revisions, the policy went into
would use the policy to sexually
the restroom,” Luttig said. “I have
effect Tuesday across the Vermillion
assault other students in bathrooms.
had security called after I’ve entered
School District.
“While I don’t believe many
the restroom. I have even had a
Miles Amende | The Volante
Students and community members came to the school board meeting as supporters and opponents to the policy. Ultimately, the policy was passed.