This message was sent to the Colorado State University Community on Nov. 14, 2016.

Colleagues,

Following up on President Frank’s message last week, we have heard from students and employees – from all different backgrounds and political ideologies – asking for guidance on where to turn if they experience discrimination, harassment, or safety concerns for themselves or others. We want to make it clear that the safety of all our students and employees is always among our highest priorities.

For that reason, we have many different services available to assist all members of our campus community:

• Tell Someone is a confidential reporting line for anyone with concerns about safety or mental health issues – either your own or someone else’s.  This includes concerns about discrimination and harassment. We always encourage anyone with concerns related to specific experiences in the classroom to first direct those concerns to the academic department chair or dean, but Tell Someone is an additional resource. You can reach the Tell Someone phone line during working hours (or leave a message after hours) at 970-491-1350 or use the online referral form at http://supportandsafety.colostate.edu/tellsomeone.
• Students with safety concerns can directly contact CSUPD – either 911 for emergencies or 970-491-6425 for non-emergencies. CSUPD also provides the free SAFEWalk program (970-491-1155) from dusk to dawn to escort people from any point on campus to another campus location or anywhere within a three-block radius. CSU Police Chief Scott Harris and the CSUPD officers are always happy to meet with student groups and organizations that wish to discuss issues related to personal and campus safety.
• Counseling services for students are available through the CSU Health Network: http://health.colostate.edu/services/counseling-services/
• The Office of the Ombuds and Employee Assistance Program is a free service for employees to assist with resolving concerns and problems in the workplace, along with offering resources to address personal issues and concerns. http://ombudsandeap.colostate.edu/

The bottom line is that Rams take care of Rams, no matter the circumstances. This is a tense and confusing time for many, particularly with differences over the recent election and finals looming.

We are a campus of more than 30,000 people with many different viewpoints, cultures, nationalities, genders, heritages, faiths, and life stories, and ours is a community in which freedom of expression and speech are cherished. Differences of opinion are a part of such a community, and the freedom to disagree and argue, dialogue and debate is part of what makes an academic environment special. So is our shared commitment to doing so with integrity in a respectful, inclusive, and professional manner that makes room for all voices to be heard and recognizes the dignity and worth of all people.

We place paramount importance on treating one another with decency and ensuring the well-being of our students and employees, which includes freedom from violence and illegal discrimination and harassment. Obviously, it does not include freedom from ideas and viewpoints different from our own, and how we rise and work through those differences is a reflection of our character as a community and as individuals. We also know that, within such an environment, we can nevertheless feel personal hurt, fear, and uncertainty, and in that spirit, we wanted to share these resources and encourage anyone with concerns to reach out for assistance and support.