Campus has been stirred up for the last couple weeks and a faculty’s safety was called into question at the beginning of this week. English professor Reshmi Dutt-Ballerstadt was put into the spotlight in Dr. Jordan Peterson’s video disapproving of her stance on the matter, as well as how Linfield handled the situation.

English department chair and professor Barbara Seidman felt the need to take a “pragmatic step to ensure colleague’s safety,” said Seidman.

With Dutt-Ballerstadt’s name at the forefront, Linfield took action to ensure that she could go about her work day safely. Her classes were moved to alternative locations for the week. As an institution and the chair of the department, they were “acting in an abundance of caution,” said Seidman.

Seidman stated that she had no reason to believe that her colleague was being threatened over Dutt-Ballerstadt’s name being prominently displayed in the YouTube video.

Seidman also mentioned that Linfield as an institution doesn’t want people feeling unsafe in an environment which they work.

“I am thankful to Linfield, our security, Ron Noble, and my department chair Barbara Seidman to be doing everything to keep me safe. My students have been wonderful and they have offered rides, walks to escort me from one place to another. I am feeling for the first time the power of our small college,” said Dutt-Ballerstadt.