The Associated Students of Seattle Pacific published a video and letter addressed to Interim President Pete Menjares on their official Instagram account on Oct. 1.

The letter, signed by all four members of the ASSP core, expresses the group’s frustration with the lack of change in the school’s debated statement on human sexuality and hiring practices.

“Our private conversations, appeals to the Board, and relational tactics have gotten us nowhere. Therefore, we are no longer interested in private negotiations,” ASSP said.

The letter publicly invites Interim President Menjares to a public forum on Nov. 1 in Tiffany Loop to discuss LGBTQIA+ issues on campus, and states that they will conduct the forum whether or not Menjares accepts the invitation.

“Given your expressed desire to learn, we hope that you choose to step into these conversations with students. If you choose to ignore our invitation, we will be interviewing an empty chair,” ASSP said in the letter. “It is time for these conversations to happen and they will be taking place whether or not you choose to show up.

ASSP has invited all students, staff and faculty to attend in addition to the greater Seattle community.

The video accompanying ASSP’s letter gives a brief summary of the controversy surrounding former adjunct nursing professor Jeaux Rinedahl’s sexual orientation discrimination lawsuit against SPU and encourages those watching to follow the account to show their support.

ASSP Executive Vice President Ciarra Choe said their frustration with SPU’s lack of transparency is the lead cause for this event.

“We are at the point where we cannot do this relationally,” Choe said. “We need tangible, substantive action and conversations that aren’t just behind closed doors that everyone can listen to and observe and participate in.”

Second year politics, philosophy, and economics major Luke Ryan is hopeful for what this forum could achieve.

“I’m hoping it will at least push the needle forward and make it easier for change in the future,” Ryan said. “If nothing else it will increase negative attention towards SPU.”

ASSP hopes the public forum will encourage administration to change their policies and remove the statement on human sexuality.

“Our goals are based in love and we want the future of SPU to be at the forefront of this,” Choe said. “We feel that SPU cannot move forward if we do not address this issue.”

Follow @asspspu on Instagram to stay updated and to read the full letter sent to President Menjares.