GRAND FORKS — The University of North Dakota announced it will be ceasing work on the draft gender inclusion policy in a statement released by the president of the university on Friday.
This comes after public concerns were triggered last week by a recent letter the North Dakota Catholic Conference sent to parents of prospective students.
In his statement, UND President Andrew Armacost said, “As a result of the recent discussions and because existing policies already provide equal opportunity protections to all of our campus members, UND will cease its work on this draft policy and will not implement it.”
He continued, “This decision should not signal a lessening of the support we show to each and every member of our campus community. At UND, the expectation is that all of us treat one another with respect and dignity in each of our personal interactions.”
Armacost concluded his statement by saying, “The conversations over the last week illustrate the importance of our strong and enduring commitment to free speech, the free exchange of ideas, and a civil dialogue, which are central to the mission of our university. This illustrates my vision for a campus where we come together to address our differences rather than driving each other apart.”
