The LGBTQ+ community at Central Connecticut State University is grappling with disappointment and frustration as the contract of the interim director of the LGBTQ+ Center, Dustin “Dusty” Rader, was not renewed.
Rader, who has been at the forefront of advocating for inclusivity and support for the LGBTQ+ community on campus, has become a beloved figure among students. The decision not to renew Rader’s contract has sent shockwaves through the university’s diverse student body, leaving many questioning the administration’s commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment.
The LGBTQ+ Center at CCSU has been a vital resource for students seeking support, education, and a sense of community. Under Rader’s leadership, the center had made significant strides in creating awareness about LGBTQ+ issues and promoting acceptance on campus.
The sudden departure of Rader has left students extremely concerned about the future of the center.
Atlas Focareto, a 2023 CCSU alumni, said he used the LGBTQ+ Center as a safe space before it closed in 2022.
“I would come to the Center, and even though I didn’t make close friends, I had somewhere where I felt safe, and I felt seen, I had a community,” Focareto said. “This is not okay because now these incoming students who may have been in a position that I was in don’t have anywhere [to go]. Forbid anything happens on campus that is related to hate crimes or bigotry, or you needed help, there wasn’t anywhere to go anymore. That’s what always bothered me, alright now there is no fail-safe. It is unacceptable, especially the way the University markets itself as being inclusive and safe and you [CCSU] are not if you aren’t going to have these amenities on campus.”
Mak Thompson, a current CCSU student, has been involved in the conversation of who would take over the position, if not Rader, which is a hot topic among students associated with the LGBTQ+ Center and Pride Club.
“This new person could be anything. It is stressful and it is worrying for a lot of us, coming from someone who is on the e-board and always in the LGBTQ+ Center, I talk to people all the time, and this is the conversations we’re having about who this new person can be or the frustrations with a lack of Dusty,” Thompson said. “And he’s not even in the Center anymore, and before he left, he was like ‘I work in the sociology department; if you need anything, I’ll be there’. I don’t understand how you can let a guy who is like that just get away.”
The LGBTQ+ Center, under Rader’s leadership, had organized awareness campaigns, educational workshops, and community-building events that resonated with students and faculty alike. The void left by Rader’s departure has sparked concerns about the continuity of these programs and the overall well-being of the LGBTQ+ community on campus.
A petition has been circulated among students, urging the university to reconsider its decision and provide more clarity on the circumstances surrounding Rader’s departure.
The petition has garnered significant support with over 150 signatures, highlighting the depth of concern within the CCSU community.
Thompson, who started the petition, said he has even received signatures from prospective students.
“He said ‘I want to go here. One of the reasons I want to go here is because I’ve heard such good things about Dusty and the support of the LGBTQ+ community,'” Thompson said. “With this petition, I am hoping to get the school’s attention by saying that in a matter of a week, I’ve already gotten 150 people who say they want Dusty back, and they support this decision. This isn’t just a guy in an office, this is a human being who has helped so [many] of us.”
If you are struggling with recent events, reach out to the Office of Equity and Inclusion, i.e. Dr. Craig Wright or Erin Rodas.
