Image courtesy of Emma Bridegam.
By Riley Benson
On Tuesday, July 14, the University Student Center (USC) staff at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg (USFSP) campus was mandated to remove all flags from the building, including the Black Lives Matter, Pride and Pan-African flags, from the building.
These flags, known as the international and gender identity flags, hung throughout the building to represent the different demographics of the USFSP student body, specifically student’s nationality, gender and sexuality. The flags were provided by Student Government (SG) as part of an initiative during the 2018-19 academic year.
In the past, concerns regarding the flags have been brought to the USC Advisory Board, with requests to remove them from the building. However, the Advisory Board supported the decision to continue keeping the flags up despite any requests.
The USFSP Black Student Association (BSA) released a statement on social media regarding the incident stating that the reason for the removal was following a complaint made to the Governor’s office. BSA further stated that they do not agree or support the decision to remove the flags.
USFSP College Democrats followed suit by posting a similar graphic on Instagram explaining they do not support the administration’s decisions.
“This campus has always been a beacon for diversity, inclusion and acceptance, especially for the queer and Black communities, among others as well. These flags are more than just symbols, they are physical pieces of our active solidarity,” said Skye Smith, a junior psychology major and active student leader on campus.
Information regarding the international and gender identity flags have also been removed from the frequently asked questions section of the USC website.
When contacted on the matter, a university spokesperson released the following statement:
“With the upcoming renovation of the University Student Center (USC), we are evaluating all details of the facility, including uses of space, decor, and amenities. During our review, it was noted there was not a reliable or comprehensive process for selecting and rotating the flags in the USC. We have temporarily removed all flags until we can convene a group of students, faculty and staff to solicit their input on all aspects of the renovation during the fall semester. In the meantime, we plan to hang a banner as part of our #SeenValuedHerd campaign, which emphasizes our commitment to making all members of the USF community feel welcome and appreciated.”
Students argue the legitimacy of the reasoning behind the removal, as many failed to be given notice that part of the upcoming renovation involved removing the long-standing flags.
“In a private talk with a student, Carrie O’Brien said the flags would be down for a year and a half, yet, when asked by NPR, stated it was until fall semester,” said Rain Weinstein, a senior anthropology major. “For me, it feels like the one safe haven I had is being taken away from me, like I am being failed by my administration and institution.”
