"The resignation of Rene Portland creates the possibility of an open door for change and transformation at Penn State University. For nearly three decades, Coach Portland has had a documented history of discrimination and prejudice toward LGBTQ athletes. Her resignation is just one of many steps that needs to occur at Penn State to improve campus climate issues both within and outside the athletic department. Although Coach Portland may be gone, intolerance, bigotry, discrimination, and hatred toward LGBTQ people, as well as other racial, ethnic, and cultural communities, are still problems that need to be continuously addressed. While some people and programs at Penn State have made progressive steps toward positive change, SpeakOut feels that the mechanisms that currently exist to address issues of diversity and campus climate must be continuously and critically analyzed, to insure that they are appropriate, effective, and meaningful. Continuous dialogue with students is one method by which the representatives of this University can insure the effectiveness of the current mechanisms. SpeakOut members, as well as members of other student groups and communities, have attempted to have open and effective dialogue with administrators on multiple occasions, without much change. SpeakOut feels that representatives of the University should be open and positive toward criticism and suggestions that are put forth by students and other Penn State community members. This would allow for negative campus climate issues to be recognized and new, effective methods, as well as improvements to current projects and programs, can be put into place to ensure the affirmation of all students and Penn State employees.

In Rene Portland's place, University officials should recognize the opportunity to hire a new coach who must have a demonstrated history of coaching and serving students who come from diverse backgrounds and can create an open and affirming environment for the players on the Lady Lion's basketball team and the athletic department as a whole. SpeakOut continues to assert that Rene Portland is a symptom of a larger campus climate problem at Penn State, one that allows discrimination and hate to occur. SpeakOut envisions a University where differences are not recognized, but affirmed, rather than merely tolerated or accepted. SpeakOut will continue to work toward the betterment and transformation of Penn State University, both through positive methods of education and presence, as well as continuing to publicly discuss the injustices that occur.

We will not remain silent while discrimination, intolerance, prejudice, and hate persist at our university. We will speak out."