Augustana’s Public Safety is investigating after a nonbinary pride flag was found defaced in the hallway of the Swanson Commons second-floor suites on Thursday, Oct. 9. Residential Life staff were notified of the incident by a student living on the floor early that morning.

Holes were burned across the flag, and an “X” mark was slashed through the center before the flag was hung from the ceiling. 

Student Government Association President Sarah Marrs and Vice President Brayden Atkisson addressed the incident in a student-wide email on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

“As Vikings, we must, in every way, condemn any action and rhetoric that foments hatred and leaves any member of our shared community to feel uncomfortable or unsafe,” seniors Marrs and Atkisson said in the email. “Every member of our diverse campus deserves dignity and respect.”

Sophomore Nia Berndt, vice president of the Augustana Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), said the incident has intensified fear and unease among queer students, especially as national rhetoric surrounding LGBTQ+ rights continues to shift.

“Somebody thought they could do this… They felt implored by something within this community to feel like they could do it,” Berndt said. “And that’s a reflection not just of Augustana, but of a growing sentiment across the Midwest and the U.S., this idea that if the government can target queer people, then individuals can too.”

While pride and visibility have become more vocal in recent years, Berndt said national developments have complicated the sense of safety. Federal policies proposed under the Trump Administration have fueled uncertainty among LGBTQ+ communities nationwide.

At the same time, campus resources are dwindling. This fall, colleges around the country have had to adjust, rebrand and even eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts after the Trump Administration threatened to pull federal funding from schools with DEI programs.

At Augustana, students have already had to adjust. Last semester, the Office of Student Inclusion and Diversity and the Counseling Center collaborated to host a weekly LGBTQIA+ Mental Wellness Group. Now, that space has been rebranded as Augie Mental Wellness Sessions. 

Junior and GSA President Amber Olson said the group has been highly aware of these changes, forcing them to take extra safety precautions.

“We have to keep our members safe too, just because of everything that’s going on in the world right now, like we have not been posting pictures of our members at all online,” Olson said. “At our last meeting, we talked about [not going outside] alone at night [and] keeping yourself safe in any way you can.”

Berndt said that sense of caution reflects a larger anxiety about belonging on campus. As rumors and reactions of the flag have circulated, particularly on social media platforms like YikYak, the campus is still searching for answers. 

“It’s really disheartening because the anonymity of both YikYak and also this action here in Swanson are a reflection of [how] people feel like, even if it’s anonymous, they can vocalize this aspect of them, and it can be any one of the people you know. People you trust could feel this way about you. And for a lot of queer students, that makes them feel really scared for their safety,” Berndt said.

In response, students have taken it upon themselves to foster conversation and care for one another. Berndt said these student-led efforts have become a crucial source of support, finding strength in solidarity.

“My strongest word of advice for moving forward is staying with your community, having your circle, the people that you feel you can be yourself around no matter what and staying together,” Berndt said. “I think community is the strongest tool that we have in any aspect of our life, but especially when there are pressures surrounding your right to exist.”

Augustana College said in an email to the Observer that the incident is still under investigation and declined to comment.