» Diversity » Affinity Groups

Association of LGBTQIA Employees

Northwest’s LGBTQIA Employee Resource Group serves to foster an inclusive, open campus community, advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and asexual people. The LGBTQIA ERG consists of LGBTQIA individuals interested in LGBTQIA issues for employees (administrators, staff, and faculty) at Northwest Missouri State University.

Our goals are to: 

• Foster a safe and comfortable environment for LGBTQIA students, faculty and staff
• Educate the University community about the lives & concerns of LGBTQIA individuals
• Provide positive role models of openly LGBTQIA faculty & staff as a support system for other LGBTQIA faculty, staff & students.
• Advocate for and facilitate the inclusion of LGBTQIA lives & concerns in academic pursuits such as research, curriculum development, & cultural programming
• Advocate for LGBTQIA issues within the structure of the University, e.g., University policy and personnel issues
• Create a forum to respond to issues of concern to LGBTQIA people in the wider community

Contact Information

Dr. Elyssa Ford
Associate Professor of History
ebford@nwmissouri.edu

Executive Council

General Resources

• ACLU – Missouri
• PROMO Missouri
• GLSEN
• GLAAD
• Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
• Human Rights Campaign – Workplace
• The Trevor Project
• Campus Pride
• I Am: Trans People Speak
• Gender Spectrum
• Trans Lifeline
• Trans Equality
• LGBTQIA Resources at Northwest’s B.D. Owen’s Library

LGBTQIA Employee Resources & Processes at Northwest

To Change Preferred Name

• Contact the HR office to adjust your preferred name within the Banner system (ie., CatPAWS, Canvas).
• Employment documents, such as W4 forms, cannot be changed without a legal name change.
• Email: If you contact HR about a preferred name change, this also can change the name associated with your email address. To change your email address, you need to contact the IT office; note that this includes deleting your current email account and creating a new one. 

Workplace Environment

The HR office takes seriously the workplace environment for all of our employees. This includes issues related to sexuality and gender identity, such as the refusal by colleagues, contractors, or students to use preferred names and pronouns.

Questions or Concerns

You may reach out to the LGBTQIA affinity group at any time, and HR office is available if you have any questions or concerns.