We Stand With Chris

I stand with Chris! Him and his team save lives with the work they do. I’m disgusted with UWEC for this.

One of the only reasons I chose this school was due to the inclusive environment.

It should be a point of pride the sense of community and inclusivity fostered on UW-Eau Claire’s campus, especially for LGBTQIA+ students. For years, the university has been celebrated for that very thing which had largely been cultivated by the work of people like Chris Jorgensen. It, to me as an alum, will prove to be a detriment to the continued success (both financial and cultural) of this institution. Further, it speaks to a lack of courage on behalf of the administration who has been, undoubtedly, manipulated by the current rhetoric and political environment under this broader administration.

This is horrendous and these actions taken by UWEC will do more harm than good.

As an alumni of UWEC, I have seen the work that Chris has done for the LGBTQIA+ community, people of color, and people who felt like they did not have a voice. If UWEC wants to remove people like Chris who provides a safe space for many people, they will see their retention numbers significantly decrease.

Not our UWEC

I chose this school because of the gsrc and events like q-fest and fireball losing these and with everything else I am now thinking maybe I should look into transferring somewhere closer to home.

I stand with Chris! Bigotry will not destroy the university that has taught me so much!

THIS WILL HURT THE PROGRAMS THAT MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LOVED AND WELCOMED.

I was fortunate enough to have Chris as a professor for a DEI in business course. In this course, we covered a wide variety of topics including race, gender, sexuality, pregnancy, and socioeconomic background, just to name a few. We were posed with prompts that encouraged us to acknowledge our own personal biases on some issues and engage in civil discourse with each other on issues relating to these areas. While these conversations can be difficult and uncomfortable to have when people disagree, Chris is wonderful at facilitating these conversations in such a way that people felt safe to participate. I was so moved by this course that I felt that every student should be required to take a course like this; it is so important to be able to engage in discourse and respectfully disagree, as well as to be able to acknowledge our differences and be able to embrace diverse perspectives, as well as accommodate diverse needs. These are all skills that are so important in life and in the workplace, and it was so valuable to be able to hone these skills. There could not have been a better person to head Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on campus; in class, Chris detailed his own college experience in terms of belonging, and it’s clear this fuels his passion for making sure students on campus feel that they belong, regardless of their background. I am immensely disappointed at the University’s decision to eliminate this role - in increasingly divisive times, I feel that it is so important to have leadership on campus who are dedicated to making sure that all students are welcome, and that all students will have a fair chance at succeeding, regardless of their background. The events, programs, and resources supported by this role have greatly benefited many of my friends and contributed to their success as a student.

ally ❤️

While I was a student for a short time at UWEC I was part of the Fostering Success program, and I wouldn't be where I am today without them. I can't believe this is happening and am extremely disappointed in a campus I once held on a pedestal!

As an alumni of UWEC, I am sickened by this. These are not the values that made me want to be a Blugold. This will hurt so many people and students.

Stop letting the fear you feel spread more hate. I stand with Chris!

LET STUDENTS FEEL SAFE AND FREE TO BE THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES

This effects my girlfriends job, and campus events, they need to give this man his job back

For Chris and more

All I can say is, wow. I stand by chris and all his colleagues when I say that this is outrageous.

Chris and the Rainbow Floors helped me discover myself!

Everyone paying to go to school here should get a chance to feel included and safe.