Queer News On Campus [QNOC] Articles Digest
For the week ending 2011.01.23
Brought to you by the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. http://www.lgbtcampus.org
Archives of the QNOC Digest can be found at http://queernewsoncampus.blogspot.com
Reminder: If you come across articles that should be included in the digest, please email a link to the article to articles@lgbtcampus.org
1. The Emory Wheel - Plans for Gender-Neutral Housing Announced
2. Delaware Online/The News Journal - 'A great first step': UD paying medical costs for domestic partners
3. The Florida Times-Union - Talking about UNF's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness Days
4. The New York Times - More Students Seek Avenues to Gay-Friendly Colleges
5. The Harvard Crimson - A Stepping Stone to Equality
6. The Washington Post - Report details warning for fired Mich. asst. AG
7. Windy City Media Group - Stanford students fight ROTC's return based on trans bias
1. The Emory Wheel, January 17, 2011
Emory University, Drawer W, Atlanta, GA 30322
http://www.emorywheel.com/detail.php?n=29153
Plans for Gender-Neutral Housing Announced
By Jordan Friedman
Emory will offer a gender-neutral housing pilot program for the 2011-2012 academic year, a move that will allow juniors or seniors to request a roommate of any sex or gender.
The gender-neutral housing program will take place in approximately 60 two-bedroom apartments in the F Building of the Clairmont Residential Center (CRC). Residence Life and Housing will honor only mutual roommate requests.
Andy Wilson, director of Residence Life and assistant dean for Campus Life, said the pilot program will consist of approximately 120 students. Residence Life and Housing selected the F Building because it contains two-bedroom units, Assistant Director of Residence Life and Operations Joni Tyson explained.
“When you go beyond two bedrooms, it gets complicated,” Tyson said. She noted that two students can reside in each of the two bedrooms in the F Building apartments, but not in apartments with four bedrooms. This makes it easier for Residence Life and Housing to place any leftover students in need of housing.
“[Students] in two-bedroom apartments would have the option of pulling in another roommate, or we could place them with a same-gender roommate, which is in accordance with our standard policy,” Tyson explained.
Tyson said that up until this point, students either had to petition for gender-neutral housing or live off-campus. Residence Life and Housing has granted these requests as exceptions in the past.
Director of Clairmont Campus Frank Gaertner wrote in an e-mail to the Wheel that this program will enable students to “live with a roommate they most prefer, without limiting it to someone of the same biological sex.”
“We know that students can live off-campus with any other student they choose, and we’re happy to give them this same option here on campus,” Gaertner wrote.
Wilson noted that other colleges’ and universities’ successes with gender-neutral housing partially inspired this pilot program. The National Student Genderblind Campaign website, genderblind.org, lists more than 50 other colleges and universities with similar policies.
“Other schools have done this, and it’s important for us as an institution to offer the same kinds of options in our residence halls,” Wilson explained.
Gaertner, who wrote the proposal for the program, said he read over other schools’ proposals beforehand, which helped him create Emory’s own proposal. The proposal needed — and ultimately did receive — the approval of Vice President and Dean of Campus Life John Ford, as well as of University President James W. Wagner’s cabinet before it could be implemented.
Gaertner wrote that the policy is “responsive to student needs and issues.” For example, he noted, transgender students have had to make special appeals to the assignments coordinators if they desired to live with a student of a different biological sex. The new policy will allow them to live with whomever they wish without the special appeals process, Gaertner wrote.
Student inquiries played a major role in the administration’s decision to implement the new policy, Gaertner explained. According to Gaertner, Emory Residence Life and Housing worked closely with representatives from the Residence Hall Association (RHA) and the Student Government Association (SGA) to formulate the program.
SGA President and Goizueta Business School senior Beth Brandt wrote in an e-mail to the Wheel that last semester, SGA produced its own “ideal proposal.”
Brandt added that initiating the conversation about gender-neutral housing was a part of her campaign platform when she ran for SGA president.
“Fortunately for everyone, Residence Life [and Housing] was also interested in restarting these conversations,” Brandt said.
According to Gaertner, Residence Life and Housing asked a question in its annual Educational Benchmark, Inc. (EBI) survey about gender-neutral housing.
Sixty-one percent of student respondents said they were moderately to very interested in living with a student of a different biological sex.
Interest was greatest in juniors and seniors, a finding that, according to Gaertner, was part of the inspiration to administer the pilot in the CRC, which only houses juniors and seniors.
In addition, because the University has only recently been notified of the pilot program, Wilson said it is too early to determine the specific number of students actually interested in the pilot but added that this pilot will ultimately enable Residence Life and Housing to better understand students’ interests for the future.
Gaertner said that if successful, Residence Life and Housing will likely expand the program to other buildings.
Interested students can sign up for the gender-neutral housing program through the regular housing selection process.
2. Delaware Online/The News Journal, January 17, 2011
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110117/NEWS/101170326/-A-great-first-step-
'A great first step': UD paying medical costs for domestic partners
By Wade Malcolm
In 2002, Jack Baroudi was a valuable addition to the University of Delaware’s faculty.
He had earned a doctorate from New York University’s prestigious Stern School of Business and held a top job at Morgan Stanley. During the recruitment process for an associate dean position, Baroudi learned UD didn’t offer medical benefits for domestic partners. It shocked him.
Single at the time, Baroudi accepted the job anyway. Since then, his family situation has changed.
“If I had been in the situation then that I’m in now, with a domestic partner and two children, I wouldn’t have come here,” said Baroudi, a Faculty Senate officer and chairman of UD’s LGBT Faculty and Staff Caucus.
At the beginning of this year, the university started a policy to eliminate what Baroudi called “inequitable treatment.” UD now pays for the medical benefits of domestic partners of its gay and lesbian employees, joining more than 300 other schools around the country offering similar benefits.
At least two Delaware private schools – Wesley College and Widener University – provide medical coverage for domestic partners. UD is the first public institution in the state to offer the benefits. Delaware Technical & Community College includes domestic partners in its medical leave and free tuition policies but not insurance coverage.
UD officials expect 25 to 50 partners of employees to request the benefits during the open enrollment period, said J.J. Davis, vice president for finance and administration.
But UD will not provide coverage, only finance it. The university will pay employees with partners a maximum stipend equal to the amount it spends for covering a spouse, plus an extra percentage added to account for taxes deducted from the stipend. It will add up to a maximum of about $9,000 per person per year, Davis said.
UD must use that method because its employees participate in the state employees' health insurance policy, which does not allow domestic partners to obtain insurance. Baroudi believes UD's efforts represent "a great first step" but that the state ought to do more.
Several large state universities in nearby states -- including Penn State, Temple and Rutgers -- offer partner benefits. And nearly all of the top-tier research universities that UD aspires to emulate offer the coverage, said Lori Messinger, a University of Kansas associate professor of social work who has studied same-sex benefits.
"If you aspire to be in the top 20 public schools, you need to jump on board," she said. "And that's what everyone seems to be saying to their boards of trustees: 'Look, we have to do this to be competitive.' "
Wesley added domestic partner benefits six years ago. The college spends about $1.5 million per year on medical benefits, with $65,000 of that on benefits for domestic partners, said Eric Nelson, vice president of finance.
"We were looking for ways to make ourselves more friendly to different constituencies, and that's one of the things we wanted to do," he said. "And it wasn't that expensive."
Getting those benefits can be challenging for public schools because of politics and "where the money comes from," Messinger said.
Not long after Patrick T. Harker took over as UD's president, the university's administration started quietly advocating for same-sex benefits. In a 2008 survey of 471 professors, nearly 70 percent said they "agreed" or "strongly agreed" with the faculty union's efforts to bargain for domestic partner benefits. When contract negotiations began, the faculty found the new administration "very cooperative" on the issue compared to the previous one, union president Joan DelFattore said.
Then at a General Assembly Joint Finance Committee hearing in February, Harker asked legislators to grant domestic partners the same access to the state's health care as employee spouses.
"It's the one benefit that people worry about the most," he said at the hearing. "If you look at the majority of universities that we compete against, we are losing very good faculty and staff to other institutions -- they don't come or we lose them because it is a non-trivial benefit."
During the 2010 legislative session, state Rep. Terry Schooley, D-Newark/Chapel Hill, proposed a bill that would cover domestic partners of all state employees. The controller general's office estimated the benefits would cost the state as much as $1.5 million in the first year, sinking its chances of gaining much momentum, Schooley said. The bill was later amended to allow partners to buy into the plan, paying the full premium out-of-pocket. That option left the state with about $66,600 in extra administrative costs, according to the controller general.
"The support was just not there, especially with the fiscal note attached," said Schooley, who hasn't decided whether she'll propose the bill again this session. "Whether it was a fiscal argument and that was something they could use or there were philosophical reasons for being against, I don't know."
Particularly when it comes to the less expensive bill, Baroudi considers fiscal consideration a false argument, and he believes Gov. Jack Markell should do more to publicly advocate for partner benefits.
"As much as I respect Gov. Markell and appreciate his efforts ... I think the economic situation has tied his hands even when it shouldn't," he said.
Markell spokesman Brian Selander said the governor would consider such a bill if presented with it.
"The idea behind the legislation -- giving same-sex partners the option to buy their share of insurance -- is a good one," Selander said. "We will want to review the bill if submitted to ensure that the approach it takes does not come with significant administrative costs."
UD's policy -- and the proposed legislation -- covers only gays and lesbians. The couples must fill out an affidavit pledging to be in a committed relationship and show some sort of shared asset -- a mortgage, apartment lease or joint accounts, for example -- to qualify for the stipend, which must be used for medical purposes only.
House Minority Leader Greg Lavelle, R-Sharpley, said his caucus has not discussed the topic. But he wondered whether it would be equitable to include only gay couples in such a change and not men and women who choose not to marry. Any new state benefits would be difficult in the current budget situation, he said.
"Given the fiscal situation in the state and the employment situation in the state, those are the things we should be focusing on right now," he said.
3. The Florida Times-Union, January 20, 2011
P.O. Box 1949, Jacksonville, FL 32231
http://jacksonville.com/community/southside/2011-01-20/story/talking-about-unfs-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender
Talking about UNF's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness Days
By Beth Reese Cravey
The University of North Florida will hold a series of workshops next week to highlight Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness (LGBT) Days. Natalie Nguyen, program assistant at the university's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center, talks about the event.
What is the purpose of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Days?
To show that LGBT individuals face a different set of struggles and that there is an accepting community of individuals (allies). Many may not realize that a person who identifies as LGBT may face physical harassment, uncomfortable work environments, discrimination in housing or employment, or that a person who is not "out" may feel isolated if there is a perception that the community is not safe or accepting. There are things that people sometimes take for granted without even realizing that others do not have the same luxuries, such as having friends and family members who accept you for who you are, being able to go out without fear of physical harm, being able to dress in the clothes that fit your gender expression without fear of harassment and so on.
The schedule of workshops and activities includes a wide range of topics. Describe them.
The "Fearless" exhibit by Jeff Sheng is to promote athletes, both high school and collegiate, who are open about their sexuality and have found acceptance from their coaches and teammates. The exhibit is also used to help break the stigma of homophobia within athletics and to show that there's no way to "tell" if an athlete is gay or not ...
The "gay? fine by me" T-shirt campaign brings visibility to friends, classmates, co-workers and allies who are accepting. When a large community of people wears the T-shirts, it shows that there are people out there who are accepting, which is important for those who are struggling to find acceptance and safety in the community and in their everyday lives.
The "Bullied" documentary is very timely, especially with the string of youth suicides last fall. The documentary is a great way to open up dialogue about what it means to create a safe space for all students and that harassment, of any kind, is not only unhealthy but can also be dangerous. We hope to bring a lot of teachers, school administrators and students to not only view the documentary but discuss how to create a safe environment for students who are LGBT or even perceived to be LGBT.
The dialogue "Queers in the Spotlight" is a discussion on how LGBT individuals are portrayed in the media: either as overly sexual, confused, overly effeminate men (or overly masculine women) and how these portrayals create stigma and are a hindrance to the LGBT movement. If someone is coming to terms with their sexual identity or gender orientation, these media images can be very confusing.
The last discussion, "Out in the Workplace," will talk about the struggles of either being out, open and honest about your sexual orientation (or gender identity) in the workforce, what it could mean to your work environment, safety (both physical safety as well as secured employment) and chances for promotion. When I first started looking for employment, I was hesitant about different work environments and their level of acceptance (or lack thereof), so I often created duplicate copies of my resumes and cover letters: one that included my work within the LGBT community and one that did not for fear that I would not be hired based on my sexual orientation or my gender expression.
Will there be follow-up sessions?
Jeff Sheng will be available Monday to speak to students and community members about his work and his inspirations for the exhibit. Sheng will also visit with student-athletes to talk about his exhibit and how students can create a safe environment for their fellow teammates and how coaches can promote team unity and inclusion. There will also be a question-and-answer session after the "Bullied" documentary to talk about the importance of derogatory language, acceptance and safety.
Who would most benefit from attending? And how can LGBT members and supporters reach those people who should attend, but do not?
All community members would benefit from attending, especially those who are seeking community support if they are "coming out" ... and friends/family members who want to support those who are "out." Our allies are just as important to show that there is acceptance beyond those who self-identify as LGBT, but a lot of friends and family members may not know how to show their support or be aware of the struggles that LGBT people face. As far as reaching those who should attend, I would encourage dialogue and hope to promote acceptance and understanding. School administrators, faculty, staff and parents of students who are bullied at school would benefit the most from the "Bullied" documentary, not just to protect LGBT students but all students.
Tell us more about the Resource Center, its mission and how people can help.
The UNF LGBT Resource Center provides valuable education and resources for the entire campus community with a commitment to advocacy, equality, respect and support for the LGBT students, faculty and staff. Community members can help by attending events, donating to support the center's programs, facilitating dialogues, volunteering at the center and listening to their friend, family or colleague who may be looking for acceptance without judgment.
For more information, go to unf.edu/dept/lgbt.
4. The New York Times, January 20, 2011
620 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018
http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/gay-friendly/
More Students Seek Avenues to Gay-Friendly Colleges
By Sergio N. Candido
Blogger’s Note: The following article was prepared through the New York Times Student Journalism Institute, a workshop that was recently held in Miami. Mr. Candido is a student at Florida Atlantic University. –Jacques Steinberg
When Jamesly Louis chooses the university he wants to attend next year, he’ll be looking at two things: the theater program and how safe the university is for gay students.
He had a bad experience in high school, where he said some students told him “that homosexuals should go to hell.”
Mr. Louis, 19, is not alone. The number of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students seeking a university that is “gay friendly” is increasing, driven by Web sites that rate schools on how supportive they are of gay students.
“It’s definitely a phenomenon,” said Luigi Ferrer, the director of programs and grant development at Pridelines Youth Services, a Miami Shores, Fla., nonprofit where he works with Louis, a counselor. “Students are sometimes prioritizing [LGBT] resources even over the academic reputation of the school or the financial aid they can get.”
One Web site that rates whether universities are gay friendly, the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index, has become more popular over the past year.
The Index looks at policies, programs and practices each institution provides to its gay community and grades the university.
Shane L. Windmeyer, co-founder of Campus Pride, the national nonprofit that runs Climate Index, said the number of people going to the site increased significantly.
Visits have almost doubled from 6,850 a month in 2007, when the Web site started, to 13,580 a month in 2010, Mr. Windmeyer said. The index now has 258 colleges on its list; universities are asked to answer 50-plus questions including how the campus accommodates sexually variant students to what policies they have to protect students against harassment based on sexual orientation.
Mr. Windmeyer said he believed the increase in the number of visits to the site is a direct result of the attention on bullied gay students who committed suicide last year.
In September, Tyler Clementi, 18, a freshman at Rutgers, jumped off the George Washington Bridge; his roommate and a classmate are accused of secretly monitoring him with a webcam.
Around the same time, Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old gay student at Jacobsen Middle School, hanged himself from a tree in his backyard in Tehachapi, Calif., after being bullied.
“There have been an increasing number of kids to the index as a result of the need for parents to feel that the college they are sending their students to is safe,” Mr. Windmeyer said. “I received more phone calls last September from parents and students asking for advice than ever before.”
The Princeton Review, a company that specializes in test preparation courses and admissions consulting, also ranks “gay friendly” universities. Students can go to the Review’s Web site or get a printed survey form, where one question asks whether they think students, faculty and administrators at their university treat people equally “regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.”
About 122,000 students from 373 colleges and universities have answered that question, providing the basis for the rankings. The Review’s Web site also provides guidelines for what students should look for to tell whether a campus is friendly to gay students. Among the suggestions are unofficially touring the campus, visiting the school’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender center and talking with gay faculty.
For high school students, the search for a friendly campus is often driven by harassment they’ve already experienced.
A 2009 survey of 7,261 middle and high school students conducted by the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network found that 9 of 10 students experienced harassment at school that year because of their sexual orientation.
GLSEN, an organization for students, parents and teachers seeking to end discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender students in K-12 schools, also found that 72.4 percent of those students surveyed heard homophobic remarks.
Fifteen-year-old Kayla Almeida, a freshman at Miami Beach Senior High School in Miami Beach, said she was a victim of a hate crime last year. Kayla, who publicly declared herself a bisexual in the fifth grade and now considers herself lesbian, said she and a friend were verbally assaulted by a group of six students during an English class because of their sexual orientation.
The incident, coupled with news reports about Mr. Clementi, terrified her mother, Kayla said.
“I can tell that she’s worried because it’s happened several times in so little time,” she said. “It could happen to anyone. It might be me next.”
Even though she still doesn’t know where she wants to go to college, Kayla said she planned to choose a school where she would feel safe.
“I would definitely look for a school with LGBT resources. I’m gay, and I would like to meet other people who are like me in college,” she said.
A Campus Pride LGBT report in September 2010 found that respondents were twice as likely to say that they were the target of derogatory remarks and were stared at by other people than their heterosexual counterparts.
The report documented the experiences of 5,000 students, faculty, staff and administrators who identified themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer at colleges and universities across the United States.
“Students, faculty and staff still found a climate that was not welcoming, that often times they are leaving the campus,” said Susan R. Rankin, one of the main researchers for the report and an associate professor of education at Pennsylvania State University.
The report also found that respondents of color were more likely than their white counterparts to indicate race as the basis for harassment.
Mr. Louis agrees.
“It is easier if you are white and gay,” he said. “It’s very hard for the Hispanics or blacks because of the culture.”
Mr. Louis said he had used the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index Web site to look for colleges before graduating from North Miami Beach Senior High School. He decided to stay in Miami and enrolled in New World School of the Arts, a magnet high school and college, where he will receive an associate in arts degree in the spring of 2012.
He said he wanted to attend Florida State University in Tallahassee in the fall of 2012 to complete his bachelor’s degree, a decision he made after comparing schools on his own. The university has a renowned theater program, a national fraternity for gay, bisexual and progressive men, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Student Union and a counseling center.
“New World only fits one of my priorities: it was like a huge LGBT club,” said Mr. Louis with a smile. “This university fits all my criteria.”
Do you have advice of your own you’d like to share? Please use the comment box below.
Want to read more? See Finding a Gay-Friendly Campus” by John Schwartz, in last April’s issue of The Times’s Education Life supplement.
5. The Harvard Crimson, January 21, 2011
14 Plympton St., Cambridge, MA, 02138
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/1/21/blood-fda-risk-msm/
A Stepping Stone to Equality
By Saieed Hasnoo
As we celebrate recent milestones in the fight for Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transsexual equality in the United States, discriminatory practices against the queer community remain insidiously ingrained in the fabric of our society. One of which, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ban on blood donation by men who have had sexual contact with another male, perpetuates the perspective that the male homosexual population is inherently “at increased risk” for infected donations and should be disallowed from giving plasma.
The FDA rationalizes its position on men who have sex with men (“MSM”) through the claim that this group has the highest incidence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and is therefore excluded due to safety precautions. In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control found that 19 percent of the MSM population in 21 major U.S. cities was infected with HIV. Seemingly, this would provide a solid, impartial warrant for the FDA’s stance. However, if we contextualize the transmissibility and prevalence of various blood-borne illnesses, there is an unquestionable lopsidedness in the qualifications for blood donation. For example, in 2008, state prisoners in California filed a federal lawsuit, citing that as many as 40 percent of California prison inmates become infected with hepatitis C; however, the FDA has no restrictions on former inmates donating plasma. Further, if the FDA seeks to ban certain distinguishable groups in the interest of risk management, why is sexual orientation a target while race is not? Demonstrating this disparity, Hepatitis B, classified by the World Health Organization as 50-100 times more infectious than HIV, is carried by much as 20 percent of the population in East Asia. Should, then, the FDA prevent East Asian immigrants or descendants from donating blood due to the “increased risk” of hepatitis B infection? No—racial discrimination in the name of “risk management” would be unacceptable. Similarly, excluding the MSM population from donation due to a statistical likelihood that mechanically classifies an individual’s blood as empirically “riskier” is inadmissible.
In June 2010, a Health and Human Services Committee recommended that the FDA uphold the ban established in 1985. Ultimately, the panel concluded that allowing MSM to donate plasma still poses a risk to the safety of the blood supply. However, as the Red Cross reported in September that it could only cover 45 percent of its daily blood needs for medical procedures and emergency situations, equal opportunity must be given a fair chance. A report published by the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law estimated that an additional 219,000 pints of blood could be made annually available if the ban on MSM donations were lifted. Indeed, the dire shortage necessitates a reexamination of the antiquated perception that those who engage in gay sex are somehow tainted or substandard. The FDA must shed the 1980s pre-Lawrence v. Texas ideology that the homosexual lifestyle is one that inherently guarantees hazard and immorality.
At Harvard, we unknowingly come into contact with this mentality. As the 2011 Harvard-Yale Blood Drive begins on January 31st, institutions of higher education have once again graciously opened their arms to blood centers. Though these drives serve an important cause, this continual welcoming subverts the very principle that Harvard and its leaders have defended in the past—the belief that any organization that operates within the university must be inclusive and non-discriminatory. In that sense, the Harvard College Red Cross seems to institutionalize the same recently discarded notion of the ROTC.
The idea that a queer male should be restricted from participating in any campus activity, whether it be donating blood or enlisting with the ROTC, must always be challenged in order to uphold our university’s maxim of equality. However, a firm campus-wide ban on blood centers is neither a practical nor productive solution to this obstacle. Rather, the university must join in the fight against misinformation and inequity by employing its vast resources of intellect. Those who have the responsibility for knowledge and reason must disseminate both the statistical and moral truths. It is the duty of not only our science-based departments, but also our LGBT advocacy centers to speak out against the conception of homosexuality as a confinement.
A multitude of legal, religious, and organizational limitations have all synthesized to paint the image of the gay individual as intrinsically inferior. Each one of these restraints must be met with outrage. The queer community finally has attained the long overdue right to serve openly in the military, and we are actively engaged in the fight for universally recognized marital rights. However, we must not overlook the multiple dimensions that exist in the quest for equality.
Saieed Hasnoo ’12, The Crimson's associate business manager, is an Economics concentrator in Currier House.
6. The Washington Post, January 23, 2011
1150 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20071
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/23/AR2011012303191.html
Report details warning for fired Mich. asst. AG
The Associated Press
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A former assistant state attorney general who was fired after being accused of harassing the gay student assembly president at the University of Michigan was previously warned about using state resources for anti-gay attacks on politicians, according to details of a report published Sunday.
A report compiled by the attorney general's office said Andrew Shirvell was warned last February after sending an e-mail to a former state representative and others that included a gay slur, said AnnArbor.com, citing the report that it obtained.
The warning came two months before Shirvell started a blog that criticized student assembly president, Chris Armstrong, as a racist with a "radical homosexual agenda." The e-mail was listed among the eight reasons for Shirvell's firing.
A message seeking comment was left Sunday with Shirvell's attorney, who has said the actions were constitutionally protected as free speech. A spokesman for the attorney general's office said Sunday he didn't have a copy of the report with him, but one could be available as early as Monday.
National criticism erupted over the blog last fall. The attorney general's office drew more than 22,000 e-mails, 150 letters and 940 phone calls, most advocating for Shirvell to be fired, documents show. He was fired in November.
Then- Attorney General Mike Cox said at the time that the firing came after a state investigation revealed that Shirvell "repeatedly violated office policies, engaged in borderline stalking behavior and inappropriately used state resources."
Shirvell, a 2002 University of Michigan graduate and one of about 250 lawyers in the attorney general's office, handled cases in which convictions are appealed in federal court, writing defenses for the state. It was not a management or supervisory position.
After Shirvell was fired, Armstrong and his lawyer Deborah Gordon petitioned the state Attorney Grievance Commission to have Shirvell disbarred. That process is still ongoing. Gordon said Armstrong has not ruled out further legal action against Shirvell.
The investigation found that Shirvell harassed Armstrong's friends as they were socializing in Ann Arbor and made numerous calls to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office while Armstrong was working there as an intern.
The investigation revealed that while at work during normal business hours, Shirvell called Pelosi's office and posted attacks on Armstrong on the Internet.
7. Windy City Media Group, January 2011
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=30260
Stanford atudents fight ROTC's return based on trans bias
From a News Release
Palo Alto, CA. - Several student organizations have launched a new campaign against the return of ROTC to college campuses in light of the repeal of DADT due to their policy of discrimination towards transgender service members. The National Marriage Boycott, the largest national youth-led LGBT rights organization, has called for youth activists on college campuses that include gender identity in their non-discrimination clause to oppose the introduction or return of ROTC to their institutions. On the campus of Stanford University "Students for Queer Liberation", an LGBTQ rights group, is currently lobbying Stanford administration and organizing against the return of ROTC to campus.
"Now, more than ever, is the time for college students across the country to take a stand and organize against transgender discrimination, an issue that has been historically ignored by the mainstream gay rights agenda" said Alok Vaid-Menon, President of Stanford Students for Queer Liberation. "A re-introduction of ROTC on college campuses (including Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia) that include 'gender identity' in their non-discrimination clause is a fundamental violation of policy and an endorsement of discrimination."
The Military Leadership Diversity Commission issued the recommendation of a ban on transgender service member as part of a draft report on diversity in the services. The final report is due to lawmakers this spring and commission members are meeting this week in Virginia to debate final changes.
This treatment of transsexual service members was recently highlighted in the Washington Post article titled "Transgender Vets Want Military Access For Own" telling the story of First Class Autumn Sandeen and her trials as a trans-women veteran. http:// www.washingtonpost.com
The National Marriage Boycott is a youth-led grassroots movement determined to create a world where everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can live with dignity and security. NMB mobilizes youth activists at college campuses across the country to become involved in the struggle for LGBTQ equality. You can learn more about NMB at www.nationalmarriageboycott.com or on Facebook at http:// www.facebook.com/NMB
_______________________________________________________________
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 regarding fair use of copyrighted work, this material is distributed without profit for information, research, and educational purposes. The Consortium has no affiliation whatsoever with the originators of these articles nor is the Consortium endorsed or sponsored by the originators.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
QNOC Digest 2011.01.16
Queer News On Campus [QNOC] Articles Digest
For the week ending 2011.01.16
Brought to you by the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. http://www.lgbtcampus.org
Archives of the QNOC Digest can be found at http://queernewsoncampus.blogspot.com
Reminder: If you come across articles that should be included in the digest, please email a link to the article to articles@lgbtcampus.org
1. The New York Times - Yale Payroll Error Gives Gay Employees a New Year Surprise
2. The Michigan Messenger - Lansing Community College starts first LGBT scholarship
3. Twin Cities Pioneer Press - Ex-Gophers golf coach sues U for sex bias
4. Windy City Media Group - New director at UIC Gender and Sexuality Center
5. Pride Source - Celebrating 40 Years of Spectrum
6. Ohio University Compass - Ohio creates gender neutral housing option: Students can apply for the pilot program
7. Concordiensis (Union College) - New LGBTQ alliance group
8. Yale Daily News - Penn's LGBT community reaches out to prefrosh
1. The New York Times, January 11, 2011
620 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018
http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/yale-payroll-error-costs-gay-employees-thousands/?src=busln
Yale Payroll Error Gives Gay Employees a New Year Surprise
By Tara Siegel Bernard
Imagine that your employer sent you a letter just before Christmas informing you that it failed to withhold the proper amount of income to cover your 2010 tax bill, and would begin deducting that extra amount from your paycheck right after New Year’s.
That’s what happened to 61 employees with same-sex partners at Yale University, in New Haven, Conn., which made an inadvertent payroll error that will mean thousands of dollars in extra taxes withdrawn from paychecks of many of these workers this year.
Many same-sex couples are all too familiar with the extra financial costs and complications that can arise because their marriages are not recognized by the federal government. Living in a state where these marriages are recognized, like Connecticut, doesn’t always make their financial lives any easier since couples are subject to two sets of tax rules: they’re considered “married” for tax purposes on their state income tax returns, but not on their federal returns.
This is the issue that tripped up the payroll system at Yale. A programming error failed to withhold income for taxes owed on the value of domestic partner health coverage. As we’ve reported, the value of those benefits are taxable (for nondependent partners) by the federal government. But in states like Connecticut, same-sex married couples are treated the same as opposite-sex married couples, and those benefits are not taxable on their state income tax returns.
“Unfortunately, the payroll system inadvertently treated those benefits as nontaxable for Connecticut and federal purposes for the entire calendar year of 2010,” said a letter, dated Dec. 22, from Yale’s payroll department to employees with same-sex partners who were affected by the error. To correct the error, the university went on to say, it would pay the tax and deduct the amount it paid from employees’ paychecks — in equal amounts over the first three months of 2011.
The university, which has extended health insurance to its same-sex employees’ domestic partners since 1994, typically withholds those taxes from employees’ paychecks over the course of the year. But due to the programming error, employees will be responsible for paying the taxes for both years in 2011.
Those costs can be significant. According to one employee who did not want to be publicly identified criticizing the university, paying the tax back over a three-month period would reduce take-home pay by 33 percent — and that doesn’t even include the taxes owed for this year.
If the employee paid the tax back over the course of the year, take-home pay would shrink by 8.3 percent (or double that, at nearly 17 percent, when factoring in this year’s taxes). The employee said some workers owed $2,000 a year in taxes (which means they would need to pay a total of $4,000 this year), while others owed close to $4,000 (translating into $8,000 total), though those numbers were likely to vary based on the value of the benefits and the tax bracket of the employee.
“They’re making it about balancing the books, when there are real consequences for the human beings who depend on the paychecks they earn,” the employee said. “Rather than apologize for the cruel timing of the letters, we got a long explanation about how this all came about and how grateful we should feel, because it could have been even worse.
The university also said in the letter that it would amend the employees’ 2010 taxable reportable earnings to reflect the additional taxable earnings and taxes.
“We understand that for some employees the 90-day time frame for repayment may cause financial hardship,” a Yale spokeswoman said. “For those employees, greater repayment flexibility will be provided on an individual basis.”
The spokeswoman said the university regretted the error, and “looks forward to a time when there is a federal recognition of same-sex marriage and civil union rights with respect to tax withholding rules.”
An increasing number of companies are beginning to reimburse employees for these taxes in an effort to put them on a level playing field with opposite-sex married employees, who are not subject to the extra costs. But for now, Yale employees are responsible for covering these additional taxes.
2. The Michigan Messenger, January 11, 2011
http://michiganmessenger.com/45494/lansing-community-college-starts-first-lgbt-scholarship
Lansing Community College starts first LGBT scholarship
By Todd A. Heywood
Lansing Community College, the state’s third largest community college, has announced it is offering a scholarship for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. While some four year institutions such as Michigan State University offer such scholarships, this is believed to be the first scholarship offered to the gay community at a community college in Michigan.
The scholarship is open to any member of the LGBT community who has a 2.2 or higher grade point average, is under the age of 25 and resides in the district. Applicants should also be involved in the LGBT community in some way.
The scholarship was named for Betsy Lou Robson, a member of the Lansing community. Her family determined that funding the scholarship was an excellent way to honor her. The funding is enough to last for three or four years, says Peggy Hellwig but the LCC Foundation is soliciting donations to keep the scholarship running for many years.
Leaders in the LGBT community were hailing the new scholarship, which has an application deadline of Jan. 28.
“It’s a wonderful thing to see young, out, and proud members of the LGBT communities being recognized and helped in their educational goals. We are particularly pleased to see this start to happen on the community college level, where so many people turn for vocational education or for a more inexpensive way to begin their college careers,” said Denise Brogan-Kator, interim executive director of Equality Michigan. Equality Michigan is a statewide education and advocacy organization for the LGBT community. “Thank you, Lansing Community College, for leading the way – we hope Michigan’s other community colleges will be able to join you soon in offering these crucially important scholarships to LGBT students.”
The Lansing Association for Human Rights, a Lansing area LGBT group, also praised the scholarship.
“We are delighted by this scholarship opportunity made available to our community. Ms. Robson’s generosity and thoughtfulness is much appreciated,” said Penny Gardner, president of LAHR. “We look forward to knowing who are the recipients for LAHR to honor them and the memory of Ms. Betsey Sue Robson at some future event.”
Gardner said having such a scholarship available for the LGBT community was important.
“Having this LCC Betsey Lou Robson scholarship available to the LGBT community means that we are recognized as integral to LCC and to Lansing. It means in yet another way, LGBT people will have another opportunity to advance and achieve their goals. LCC was chosen because Ms. Robson lived in Lansing,” said Gardner. “I wager she was familiar with the LGBT active presence in Lansing, was also familiar with those discriminating obstacles some of us are able to negotiate and is providing assistance to individuals to negotiate them a bit easier. Further, I imagine she might have foreseen the long term effects this support will provide to our city and to groups like LAHR over time.”
For more information on the scholarship — whether donating to it or applying for it — please visit the LCC Foundation website. The scholarship will fund up to four semesters for those who win the scholarship. Hellwig says the scholarship is currently funded for several years, but without funding support added to the current nest of cash will lead to an end of the program.
3. Twin Cities Pioneer Press, January 12, 2011
345 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101
http://www.twincities.com/ci_17077045?nclick_check=1
Ex-Gophers golf coach sues U for sex bias
By Brian Murphy
A former women's golf coach sued the University of Minnesota on Wednesday for sexual discrimination and harassment claiming she was prevented from instructing players or traveling with the team last fall because she is a lesbian.
Kathryn Brenny accuses golf director John Harris, a Champions Tour golfer and former Gopher player, of creating a hostile work environment after learning she was gay and forcing Brenny to resign in October from her "dream job" as an assistant coach only two months after she accepted it.
Accusations of discrimination and nepotism are at the center of a 14-page complaint Brenny filed in Hennepin County District Court. She seeks more than $200,000 in damages from Harris and the university.
"The University of Minnesota strongly contests both the factual foundation and legal basis of the claims asserted in this lawsuit," U general counsel Mark Rotenberg said in a statement.
"The university has made every reasonable effort to address Ms. Brenny's concerns. This institution has an unwavering commitment to civil and human rights and equal treatment for our students, faculty and staff, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. We intend to vigorously defend the university in this case."
Brenny, the 1998 Minnesota state high school champion from Little Falls, claims Harris circumvented university hiring practices by creating a position for his son-in-law, Ernie Rose, to perform her duties even though Rose did not have a degree, which is necessary to be a head coach.
The allegations surfaced in December as Brenny and her attorney tried to negotiate a settlement with the university. Those talks ended Dec. 21, said the attorney, Donald Mark Jr.
Brenny, 30, played at Wake Forest before winning the 2007 Minnesota State Amateur championship. She was an instructor in North Carolina when she applied for the associate head coach's job in Minnesota, assuming she would teach and mentor the team's entire 10-woman roster.
Instead, according to the complaint, Brenny was allowed to work only with the freshmen and was prohibited from talking about golf with upperclassmen. In addition, it says, she spent the majority of her time running early-morning conditioning drills and doing paperwork.
Brenny, a coaching novice who was hired at a salary of $44,000, did not accompany the team on its four outstate trips.
Rose, however, did travel with the team after being moved into the newly created position of director of instruction. Harris, whose contract allows him to compete on the Champions Tour, played three tournaments in the fall and did not travel with the teams.
In September, Brenny complained about her vague status in a letter to Associate Athletics Director Liz Eull. The letter led to meetings with Harris, Eull and Associate Athletics Director David Crum.
According to the complaint, the university redefined Brenny's job duties to keep her from directly instructing women's players or traveling with the team. In mid-October, Brenny twice met with Athletics Director Joel Maturi to complain she was not being allowed to coach and commenced grievance proceedings, the lawsuit states.
"Maturi told (Brenny) that her choices were either quit or comply with Harris' demands," the complaint said.
Within days, the university offered to reassign Brenny to a sales job at TCF Bank Stadium outside the golf program, which prompted her to quit.
"The atmosphere that was created became more and more hostile, to the point where it made it intolerable for me to even perform the limited administrative duties that had been reassigned to me," Brenny said in a statement.
"While I was never given an explanation for why I was treated this way, I later learned that I was discriminated against because of my gender and sexual preference."
Brenny's resignation and allegations have roiled the Gophers golf community, including alumni who criticized Harris' hiring from the start. Harris, 58, is under contract for $110,000 a year at Minnesota.
In August, Phil Ebner resigned as president of the Minnesota Golf Booster Club, frustrated that Maturi did not heed his pleas and those from several members of the 2002 NCAA championship men's team to hire longtime associate coach Andrew Tank, who left to become head coach at Iowa State.
During the search last summer to replace golf director Brad James, Ebner warned Maturi in e-mails that Harris, who has earned $3 million on the Champions Tour since 2002 and has no coaching or recruiting experience, had ulterior motives for returning to Minnesota, where he was a two-time All-America golfer from 1971-74 and played hockey under Herb Brooks.
Rose is earning $49,500 as an independent contractor not subjected to the university's hiring standards, said Ebner. An instructor at Winsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, Minn., Rose spent the 2009-10 season as an assistant coach on James' staff. He caddied for Harris on the Champions Tour after playing professionally on the PGA Tour of Australasia starting in 2001.
Ebner, a former Gophers assistant coach who captained the 1994 men's team, contends Maturi ignored boosters because he was star-crossed by Harris' cachet as a former Gopher, three-time Minnesota State Amateur champion and renowned professional who could be a boon for fundraising.
To be fair, the Gophers women's team under Harris' stewardship recorded four of the lowest 54-hole scores in the program's history in the fall while the squad finished no worse than eighth in every tournament.
Maturi hired Harris after learning the golfer planned to scale back his competition in the Champions Tour.
"John had expressed interest in the position and it became clear to us that it was a great match," Maturi said in a statement when Harris was hired. "John understands Minnesota and is committed to achieving success with both of our golf programs."
One of Harris' first tasks was hiring a replacement for associate women's coach Kristine Wessinger, who left to start the women's program at St. Catherine University in St. Paul.
Brenny hired Mark, whose Eden Prairie firm in May won a $1 million judgment in Hennepin County for Jimmy Williams after a jury determined that Gophers basketball head coach Tubby Smith had misrepresented a job offer to the longtime assistant coach.
4. Windy City Media Group, January 12, 2011
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=30127
New director at UIC Gender and Sexuality Center
Unknown
Megan Carney will join the University of Illinois at Chicago as the new Director of the Gender and Sexuality Center on January 18, 2011.
Carney was Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Chicago's About Face Youth Theatre from 1998-2002, where she designed and implemented innovative theatre education and leadership development programs with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and ally youth, adults, and their allies. She then continued for three years as Associate Artistic Director. Most recently, she has been a program designer, educator, and writer, partnering with a variety of non-profit organizations such as the University of Michigan, The Goodman Theatre, About Face Theatre, and Carlow University. Carney uses multiple methods to approach issues of identity and inclusion, methods that increase educational dialogue through storytelling and interactive forums.
In recognition of the excellence of her work, Carney has been inducted into the City of Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame and she has received the GLSEN Pathfinder Award, Cook County's State's Attorney's Office Community Empowerment Award, the Arts of Citizenship Award, and an American Psychological Association Presidential Citation.
5. Pride Source, January 13, 2011
11920 Farmington Road, Livonia, MI 48150
http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=44988
Celebrating 40 Years of Spectrum
By Crystal A. Proxmire
In 1971, the University of Michigan became the first public university to recognize the gay community with an official office to deal with the issues of gays and lesbians on campus. Now, 40 years later, the Spectrum Center is celebrating how far the community has come.
"Spectrum has increased its ally involvement, gotten involved regionally and nationally in the work of LGBT issues on college campuses, and begun to engage its alum base with the office," said Jackie Simpson, the director of Spectrum since 2005. Spectrum has also expanded the scope of its work over the years to include sexual orientations and gender expressions of all kinds, looking at how those demographics co-exist with other labels such as race or religion. Now, Spectrum serves a whole "spectrum" of individuals.
"Students today are interested in learning about how all of their identities interact with each other. In essence, what does it mean to be gay and Christian, or to be a Latina lesbian? Single boxes and single labels are limiting to youth today. I believe this is why more and more youth identify as 'queer' than ever before ... It gives them more options," Simpson said.
Spectrum gives students resources for feeling safe to express themselves. It also works with faculty, staff, and other schools to share information and encourage more inclusive campuses. It has a Speakers' Bureau program and an Ally Training program. Plus, the center hosts many other educational and fun events. Spectrum's ruby anniversary year kicked off with a Doin' it for 40 Years bash on Jan. 10 at the U-M Museum of Art, which featured musicians, student artwork, catering and a birthday cake. The center will also host talks with people in the film industry this year, such as Rod Gailes, who directed and produced the movie "Camouflage."
From Feb. 22-24 U-M will host the Midwest Bisexual Gay Transgender Ally College Conference, which is the largest LGBT student-organized conference in the nation. The event attracts more than 1500 students. In March there will be a professional drag show, and in November a pink carpet event for the alumni.
It will be the kind of year that the founders of the office would have only dreamed about back in 1970 when they were denied meeting space to organize a gay conference on campus.
In March 1970 the Detroit Gay Liberation Movement inspired the gay community in Ann Arbor to start a Gay Liberation Front Chapter at U-M. According to Spectrum's website, the goals of the GLF were to "battle stereotypes of gay people, fighting homophobic prejudice, and invalidating the mental illness model of homosexuality." The GLF, along with a sister group called the Radical Lesbians, became officially recognized by the Student Government Council as legitimate student organizations.
The GLF was then denied space for a conference, and in the uproar that followed, school officials decided that a Human Sexuality Office needed to be established. It was the first of its kind in the nation.
Jim Toy of GLF and Cindy Gair of Radical Lesbians were hired at quarter-time pay to be the first employees of the office. Each was titled Human Sexuality Advocate.
One of Toy and Gair's first fights was to have "sexual orientation" included as a protected class in the University's bylaws, to protect gay individuals from discrimination in employment, educational programs and activities and admissions. Toy carried the torch of that campaign for 21 years, until finally in 1993 the Board of Regents voted 8-1 to amend the University bylaws to protect sexual orientation.
Other successes were easier to achieve. In 1973 Toy and Gair formed their first Speakers' Bureau. In the 1980s they were allowed to say "Gay" and "Lesbian" in their title, and thus became The U-M Lesbian Gay Male Programs Office, while also expanding their focus to include bisexuals and people of color. In 1994 they added "Bisexual" to their name. In 1995 they added "Transgender," and now the four offices fall into categories of the Spectrum Center - a place where everyone is welcome.
In a press release, Michigan Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong said he plans to take part in the Spectrum celebrations this year. "The Spectrum Center is truly a place where out LGBT leaders can grow and develop. It connects students to the many resources that are around them and shows them the larger Michigan community they are a part of. If I had not found Spectrum my first week on campus, I would not have succeeded on campus the way I did."
For more information about the Doin' it for 40 Years celebrations or other Spectrum Center services and events, visit http://www.spectrumcenter.umich.edu.
6. Ohio University Compass, January 13, 2011
Ohio University Communications and Marketing, Athens, OH 45701
http://www.ohio.edu/compass/stories/10-11/1/gender-neutral-housing.cfm
Ohio creates gender neutral housing option: Students can apply for the pilot program
By Colleen Kiphart
This fall, Ohio University will be one of at least 55 other universities in America to offer students the option of applying to live in gender neutral housing (GNH).
Residential Housing will begin assessing interest for the program as upperclass students complete their initial housing contract. Only those students who have applied for the pilot program have the potential to be placed in GNH. Specialized applications for the program will be handled similarly to those for other specialized living communities offered by Residential Housing.
According to an FAQ on the Residential Housing website about gender neutral housing, “Gender neutral housing (GNH) communities focus on creating an inclusive environment where students can live in the same room with any student - regardless of sex, gender, gender identity/expression or sexual orientation.”
Vice President for Student Affairs Kent Smith explained why OHIO is exploring this housing option.
“GNH is an emerging topic in higher education and one that Ohio University wanted to pursue in keeping with OHIO’s commitment to diversity and providing inclusive environments,” he said. “At the same time, Student Senate came forward with their own findings and support for the program based upon a survey which showed 87 percent student support for creating a GNH living community.”
Students will be informed of the program, its guidelines, and how to apply during the standard information sessions that Residential Housing facilitates for returning students. Additionally, those students who express interest in the program will receive instructions for completing the supplemental application materials from Residential Housing after completing their initial housing contract.
“We are capable of accommodating approximately 50 upperclass students in the pilot program,” said Executive Director of Residential Housing Christine Sheets. “There are no restrictions, but rather an application and selection process for interested students.”
According to Sheets, the GNH pilot program will serve as a learning experience for the students and the University.
“Primarily, we hope to discover the effectiveness of this community from both the student and staff perspectives,” she said.
The University has been interested in the topic of GNH for some time, Smith explained.
“Diversity has always been a central focus of Ohio University’s mission, and this initiative furthers our efforts in providing an inclusive community,” he said.
“Anyone with questions or comments should contact the Residential Housing Office at 740-593-4090 and our staff will be happy to answer questions or share information with them,” said Sheets. “They can also visit our website to view information about GNH, and all of Residential Housing’s other specialized living communities at www.ohio.edu/housing/halls/slc.cfm.”
7. Concordiensis (Union College), January 13, 2011
Box 2577, Union College, 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308
http://www.concordy.com/article/news/january-13-2011/new-lgbtq-alliance-group/
New LGBTQ alliance group
By Joshua Ostrer
An LGBT ally organization, which has yet to be named, is new on campus this year. The program is aimed at training student allies in assisting with the struggles of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community.
According to the program website’s mission statement, the group focuses on the identity development of allies and developing educational interventions.
Jessica Sarrantonio ’12, who first brought the organization to Union College, explained that the program is intended to be distinct from other LGBTQ programs on campus because it will cooperate and work alongside existing programs. Nonetheless, it is, however, intended to be separate from other campus groups.
The alliance program is also intended to help fill part of the void left by Spectrum, the gay-positive campus club which is currently inactive.
The new program emphasizes training LGBTQ supporters on how to effectively support the cause.
The National Consortium of Directors of LGBTQ Resources in Higher Education clearly focuses on the term “ally”, which can be defined as an individual who supports a subjugated group by acting as a proponent of the organization’s proposed goal.
Although Union’s program is not officially cataloged on the program’s national database, Sarrantonio explained that “it’s totally in the making—it’s not an official club, yet.”
The program is unique because there is no particular method to its implementation into society. Some schools, such as the University of Michigan and Texas A&M have produced guides to their own campus programs and have made this information readily available for other schools.
However, Union’s program will use a “train the trainer” program. On Jan. 16, Megan Bolger, a senior at Hamilton College, will be visiting Union to jump-start the “train the trainer” program here at Union.
The four-hour session, which over a dozen Union students are scheduled to attend, is to be the first step in the building process. The program will be the first time all the students involved will meet together.
This initial training is designed to be the first stepping-stone in making the organization active on campus and the goal of this process is hence to expand membership by training a larger group of students to make the program more effective.
Anyone interested in joining or learning more about the program can contact Sarrantonio at sarrantj@garnet.union.edu.
8. Yale Daily News, January 15, 2011
P. O. Box 209007, New Haven, CT 06520-9007
http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/jan/15/penns-lgbt-community-reaches-out-prefrosh/
Penn's LGBT community reaches out to prefrosh
By Emily Wanger
The University of Pennsylvania is reaching out to potential members of its LGBT community before they even reach Philadelphia.
Penn started the program last spring, when members of Penn's LGBT community contacted accepted students who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, the Daily Pennsylvanian reported. Last year, 60 regular decision applicants were contacted, but this year the program is expanding to include those who are accepted early.
Under the program, application readers "flag" applicants who identified themselves as LGBT, considered themselves a strong ally to the community or had LGBT parents. Then, once they are accepted, these students are assigned to members of Penn's LGBT umbrella organization, who send them a personal e-mail.
The purpose of the program is to let pre-freshmen know about "resources on campus and ways to connect with LGBT and ally communities," said Regional Director of Admissions and LGBT liason Jordan Pascucci in an e-mail to the Daily Pennsylvanian.
Not everyone is clear on the nature of the initiative, however. Some college counselors believe the program to give an advantage to the "flagged" students in the admissions process, when it is really part of an effort to encourage LGBT students to apply to the University.
Bob Schoenberg, director of Penn's LGBT Center, told the Daily Pennsylvanian that there has been a noticeable increase in LGBT applicants in the early decision round.
_______________________________________________________________
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 regarding fair use of copyrighted work, this material is distributed without profit for information, research, and educational purposes. The Consortium has no affiliation whatsoever with the originators of these articles nor is the Consortium endorsed or sponsored by the originators.
For the week ending 2011.01.16
Brought to you by the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. http://www.lgbtcampus.org
Archives of the QNOC Digest can be found at http://queernewsoncampus.blogspot.com
Reminder: If you come across articles that should be included in the digest, please email a link to the article to articles@lgbtcampus.org
1. The New York Times - Yale Payroll Error Gives Gay Employees a New Year Surprise
2. The Michigan Messenger - Lansing Community College starts first LGBT scholarship
3. Twin Cities Pioneer Press - Ex-Gophers golf coach sues U for sex bias
4. Windy City Media Group - New director at UIC Gender and Sexuality Center
5. Pride Source - Celebrating 40 Years of Spectrum
6. Ohio University Compass - Ohio creates gender neutral housing option: Students can apply for the pilot program
7. Concordiensis (Union College) - New LGBTQ alliance group
8. Yale Daily News - Penn's LGBT community reaches out to prefrosh
1. The New York Times, January 11, 2011
620 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018
http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/yale-payroll-error-costs-gay-employees-thousands/?src=busln
Yale Payroll Error Gives Gay Employees a New Year Surprise
By Tara Siegel Bernard
Imagine that your employer sent you a letter just before Christmas informing you that it failed to withhold the proper amount of income to cover your 2010 tax bill, and would begin deducting that extra amount from your paycheck right after New Year’s.
That’s what happened to 61 employees with same-sex partners at Yale University, in New Haven, Conn., which made an inadvertent payroll error that will mean thousands of dollars in extra taxes withdrawn from paychecks of many of these workers this year.
Many same-sex couples are all too familiar with the extra financial costs and complications that can arise because their marriages are not recognized by the federal government. Living in a state where these marriages are recognized, like Connecticut, doesn’t always make their financial lives any easier since couples are subject to two sets of tax rules: they’re considered “married” for tax purposes on their state income tax returns, but not on their federal returns.
This is the issue that tripped up the payroll system at Yale. A programming error failed to withhold income for taxes owed on the value of domestic partner health coverage. As we’ve reported, the value of those benefits are taxable (for nondependent partners) by the federal government. But in states like Connecticut, same-sex married couples are treated the same as opposite-sex married couples, and those benefits are not taxable on their state income tax returns.
“Unfortunately, the payroll system inadvertently treated those benefits as nontaxable for Connecticut and federal purposes for the entire calendar year of 2010,” said a letter, dated Dec. 22, from Yale’s payroll department to employees with same-sex partners who were affected by the error. To correct the error, the university went on to say, it would pay the tax and deduct the amount it paid from employees’ paychecks — in equal amounts over the first three months of 2011.
The university, which has extended health insurance to its same-sex employees’ domestic partners since 1994, typically withholds those taxes from employees’ paychecks over the course of the year. But due to the programming error, employees will be responsible for paying the taxes for both years in 2011.
Those costs can be significant. According to one employee who did not want to be publicly identified criticizing the university, paying the tax back over a three-month period would reduce take-home pay by 33 percent — and that doesn’t even include the taxes owed for this year.
If the employee paid the tax back over the course of the year, take-home pay would shrink by 8.3 percent (or double that, at nearly 17 percent, when factoring in this year’s taxes). The employee said some workers owed $2,000 a year in taxes (which means they would need to pay a total of $4,000 this year), while others owed close to $4,000 (translating into $8,000 total), though those numbers were likely to vary based on the value of the benefits and the tax bracket of the employee.
“They’re making it about balancing the books, when there are real consequences for the human beings who depend on the paychecks they earn,” the employee said. “Rather than apologize for the cruel timing of the letters, we got a long explanation about how this all came about and how grateful we should feel, because it could have been even worse.
The university also said in the letter that it would amend the employees’ 2010 taxable reportable earnings to reflect the additional taxable earnings and taxes.
“We understand that for some employees the 90-day time frame for repayment may cause financial hardship,” a Yale spokeswoman said. “For those employees, greater repayment flexibility will be provided on an individual basis.”
The spokeswoman said the university regretted the error, and “looks forward to a time when there is a federal recognition of same-sex marriage and civil union rights with respect to tax withholding rules.”
An increasing number of companies are beginning to reimburse employees for these taxes in an effort to put them on a level playing field with opposite-sex married employees, who are not subject to the extra costs. But for now, Yale employees are responsible for covering these additional taxes.
2. The Michigan Messenger, January 11, 2011
http://michiganmessenger.com/45494/lansing-community-college-starts-first-lgbt-scholarship
Lansing Community College starts first LGBT scholarship
By Todd A. Heywood
Lansing Community College, the state’s third largest community college, has announced it is offering a scholarship for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. While some four year institutions such as Michigan State University offer such scholarships, this is believed to be the first scholarship offered to the gay community at a community college in Michigan.
The scholarship is open to any member of the LGBT community who has a 2.2 or higher grade point average, is under the age of 25 and resides in the district. Applicants should also be involved in the LGBT community in some way.
The scholarship was named for Betsy Lou Robson, a member of the Lansing community. Her family determined that funding the scholarship was an excellent way to honor her. The funding is enough to last for three or four years, says Peggy Hellwig but the LCC Foundation is soliciting donations to keep the scholarship running for many years.
Leaders in the LGBT community were hailing the new scholarship, which has an application deadline of Jan. 28.
“It’s a wonderful thing to see young, out, and proud members of the LGBT communities being recognized and helped in their educational goals. We are particularly pleased to see this start to happen on the community college level, where so many people turn for vocational education or for a more inexpensive way to begin their college careers,” said Denise Brogan-Kator, interim executive director of Equality Michigan. Equality Michigan is a statewide education and advocacy organization for the LGBT community. “Thank you, Lansing Community College, for leading the way – we hope Michigan’s other community colleges will be able to join you soon in offering these crucially important scholarships to LGBT students.”
The Lansing Association for Human Rights, a Lansing area LGBT group, also praised the scholarship.
“We are delighted by this scholarship opportunity made available to our community. Ms. Robson’s generosity and thoughtfulness is much appreciated,” said Penny Gardner, president of LAHR. “We look forward to knowing who are the recipients for LAHR to honor them and the memory of Ms. Betsey Sue Robson at some future event.”
Gardner said having such a scholarship available for the LGBT community was important.
“Having this LCC Betsey Lou Robson scholarship available to the LGBT community means that we are recognized as integral to LCC and to Lansing. It means in yet another way, LGBT people will have another opportunity to advance and achieve their goals. LCC was chosen because Ms. Robson lived in Lansing,” said Gardner. “I wager she was familiar with the LGBT active presence in Lansing, was also familiar with those discriminating obstacles some of us are able to negotiate and is providing assistance to individuals to negotiate them a bit easier. Further, I imagine she might have foreseen the long term effects this support will provide to our city and to groups like LAHR over time.”
For more information on the scholarship — whether donating to it or applying for it — please visit the LCC Foundation website. The scholarship will fund up to four semesters for those who win the scholarship. Hellwig says the scholarship is currently funded for several years, but without funding support added to the current nest of cash will lead to an end of the program.
3. Twin Cities Pioneer Press, January 12, 2011
345 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101
http://www.twincities.com/ci_17077045?nclick_check=1
Ex-Gophers golf coach sues U for sex bias
By Brian Murphy
A former women's golf coach sued the University of Minnesota on Wednesday for sexual discrimination and harassment claiming she was prevented from instructing players or traveling with the team last fall because she is a lesbian.
Kathryn Brenny accuses golf director John Harris, a Champions Tour golfer and former Gopher player, of creating a hostile work environment after learning she was gay and forcing Brenny to resign in October from her "dream job" as an assistant coach only two months after she accepted it.
Accusations of discrimination and nepotism are at the center of a 14-page complaint Brenny filed in Hennepin County District Court. She seeks more than $200,000 in damages from Harris and the university.
"The University of Minnesota strongly contests both the factual foundation and legal basis of the claims asserted in this lawsuit," U general counsel Mark Rotenberg said in a statement.
"The university has made every reasonable effort to address Ms. Brenny's concerns. This institution has an unwavering commitment to civil and human rights and equal treatment for our students, faculty and staff, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. We intend to vigorously defend the university in this case."
Brenny, the 1998 Minnesota state high school champion from Little Falls, claims Harris circumvented university hiring practices by creating a position for his son-in-law, Ernie Rose, to perform her duties even though Rose did not have a degree, which is necessary to be a head coach.
The allegations surfaced in December as Brenny and her attorney tried to negotiate a settlement with the university. Those talks ended Dec. 21, said the attorney, Donald Mark Jr.
Brenny, 30, played at Wake Forest before winning the 2007 Minnesota State Amateur championship. She was an instructor in North Carolina when she applied for the associate head coach's job in Minnesota, assuming she would teach and mentor the team's entire 10-woman roster.
Instead, according to the complaint, Brenny was allowed to work only with the freshmen and was prohibited from talking about golf with upperclassmen. In addition, it says, she spent the majority of her time running early-morning conditioning drills and doing paperwork.
Brenny, a coaching novice who was hired at a salary of $44,000, did not accompany the team on its four outstate trips.
Rose, however, did travel with the team after being moved into the newly created position of director of instruction. Harris, whose contract allows him to compete on the Champions Tour, played three tournaments in the fall and did not travel with the teams.
In September, Brenny complained about her vague status in a letter to Associate Athletics Director Liz Eull. The letter led to meetings with Harris, Eull and Associate Athletics Director David Crum.
According to the complaint, the university redefined Brenny's job duties to keep her from directly instructing women's players or traveling with the team. In mid-October, Brenny twice met with Athletics Director Joel Maturi to complain she was not being allowed to coach and commenced grievance proceedings, the lawsuit states.
"Maturi told (Brenny) that her choices were either quit or comply with Harris' demands," the complaint said.
Within days, the university offered to reassign Brenny to a sales job at TCF Bank Stadium outside the golf program, which prompted her to quit.
"The atmosphere that was created became more and more hostile, to the point where it made it intolerable for me to even perform the limited administrative duties that had been reassigned to me," Brenny said in a statement.
"While I was never given an explanation for why I was treated this way, I later learned that I was discriminated against because of my gender and sexual preference."
Brenny's resignation and allegations have roiled the Gophers golf community, including alumni who criticized Harris' hiring from the start. Harris, 58, is under contract for $110,000 a year at Minnesota.
In August, Phil Ebner resigned as president of the Minnesota Golf Booster Club, frustrated that Maturi did not heed his pleas and those from several members of the 2002 NCAA championship men's team to hire longtime associate coach Andrew Tank, who left to become head coach at Iowa State.
During the search last summer to replace golf director Brad James, Ebner warned Maturi in e-mails that Harris, who has earned $3 million on the Champions Tour since 2002 and has no coaching or recruiting experience, had ulterior motives for returning to Minnesota, where he was a two-time All-America golfer from 1971-74 and played hockey under Herb Brooks.
Rose is earning $49,500 as an independent contractor not subjected to the university's hiring standards, said Ebner. An instructor at Winsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, Minn., Rose spent the 2009-10 season as an assistant coach on James' staff. He caddied for Harris on the Champions Tour after playing professionally on the PGA Tour of Australasia starting in 2001.
Ebner, a former Gophers assistant coach who captained the 1994 men's team, contends Maturi ignored boosters because he was star-crossed by Harris' cachet as a former Gopher, three-time Minnesota State Amateur champion and renowned professional who could be a boon for fundraising.
To be fair, the Gophers women's team under Harris' stewardship recorded four of the lowest 54-hole scores in the program's history in the fall while the squad finished no worse than eighth in every tournament.
Maturi hired Harris after learning the golfer planned to scale back his competition in the Champions Tour.
"John had expressed interest in the position and it became clear to us that it was a great match," Maturi said in a statement when Harris was hired. "John understands Minnesota and is committed to achieving success with both of our golf programs."
One of Harris' first tasks was hiring a replacement for associate women's coach Kristine Wessinger, who left to start the women's program at St. Catherine University in St. Paul.
Brenny hired Mark, whose Eden Prairie firm in May won a $1 million judgment in Hennepin County for Jimmy Williams after a jury determined that Gophers basketball head coach Tubby Smith had misrepresented a job offer to the longtime assistant coach.
4. Windy City Media Group, January 12, 2011
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=30127
New director at UIC Gender and Sexuality Center
Unknown
Megan Carney will join the University of Illinois at Chicago as the new Director of the Gender and Sexuality Center on January 18, 2011.
Carney was Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Chicago's About Face Youth Theatre from 1998-2002, where she designed and implemented innovative theatre education and leadership development programs with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and ally youth, adults, and their allies. She then continued for three years as Associate Artistic Director. Most recently, she has been a program designer, educator, and writer, partnering with a variety of non-profit organizations such as the University of Michigan, The Goodman Theatre, About Face Theatre, and Carlow University. Carney uses multiple methods to approach issues of identity and inclusion, methods that increase educational dialogue through storytelling and interactive forums.
In recognition of the excellence of her work, Carney has been inducted into the City of Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame and she has received the GLSEN Pathfinder Award, Cook County's State's Attorney's Office Community Empowerment Award, the Arts of Citizenship Award, and an American Psychological Association Presidential Citation.
5. Pride Source, January 13, 2011
11920 Farmington Road, Livonia, MI 48150
http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=44988
Celebrating 40 Years of Spectrum
By Crystal A. Proxmire
In 1971, the University of Michigan became the first public university to recognize the gay community with an official office to deal with the issues of gays and lesbians on campus. Now, 40 years later, the Spectrum Center is celebrating how far the community has come.
"Spectrum has increased its ally involvement, gotten involved regionally and nationally in the work of LGBT issues on college campuses, and begun to engage its alum base with the office," said Jackie Simpson, the director of Spectrum since 2005. Spectrum has also expanded the scope of its work over the years to include sexual orientations and gender expressions of all kinds, looking at how those demographics co-exist with other labels such as race or religion. Now, Spectrum serves a whole "spectrum" of individuals.
"Students today are interested in learning about how all of their identities interact with each other. In essence, what does it mean to be gay and Christian, or to be a Latina lesbian? Single boxes and single labels are limiting to youth today. I believe this is why more and more youth identify as 'queer' than ever before ... It gives them more options," Simpson said.
Spectrum gives students resources for feeling safe to express themselves. It also works with faculty, staff, and other schools to share information and encourage more inclusive campuses. It has a Speakers' Bureau program and an Ally Training program. Plus, the center hosts many other educational and fun events. Spectrum's ruby anniversary year kicked off with a Doin' it for 40 Years bash on Jan. 10 at the U-M Museum of Art, which featured musicians, student artwork, catering and a birthday cake. The center will also host talks with people in the film industry this year, such as Rod Gailes, who directed and produced the movie "Camouflage."
From Feb. 22-24 U-M will host the Midwest Bisexual Gay Transgender Ally College Conference, which is the largest LGBT student-organized conference in the nation. The event attracts more than 1500 students. In March there will be a professional drag show, and in November a pink carpet event for the alumni.
It will be the kind of year that the founders of the office would have only dreamed about back in 1970 when they were denied meeting space to organize a gay conference on campus.
In March 1970 the Detroit Gay Liberation Movement inspired the gay community in Ann Arbor to start a Gay Liberation Front Chapter at U-M. According to Spectrum's website, the goals of the GLF were to "battle stereotypes of gay people, fighting homophobic prejudice, and invalidating the mental illness model of homosexuality." The GLF, along with a sister group called the Radical Lesbians, became officially recognized by the Student Government Council as legitimate student organizations.
The GLF was then denied space for a conference, and in the uproar that followed, school officials decided that a Human Sexuality Office needed to be established. It was the first of its kind in the nation.
Jim Toy of GLF and Cindy Gair of Radical Lesbians were hired at quarter-time pay to be the first employees of the office. Each was titled Human Sexuality Advocate.
One of Toy and Gair's first fights was to have "sexual orientation" included as a protected class in the University's bylaws, to protect gay individuals from discrimination in employment, educational programs and activities and admissions. Toy carried the torch of that campaign for 21 years, until finally in 1993 the Board of Regents voted 8-1 to amend the University bylaws to protect sexual orientation.
Other successes were easier to achieve. In 1973 Toy and Gair formed their first Speakers' Bureau. In the 1980s they were allowed to say "Gay" and "Lesbian" in their title, and thus became The U-M Lesbian Gay Male Programs Office, while also expanding their focus to include bisexuals and people of color. In 1994 they added "Bisexual" to their name. In 1995 they added "Transgender," and now the four offices fall into categories of the Spectrum Center - a place where everyone is welcome.
In a press release, Michigan Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong said he plans to take part in the Spectrum celebrations this year. "The Spectrum Center is truly a place where out LGBT leaders can grow and develop. It connects students to the many resources that are around them and shows them the larger Michigan community they are a part of. If I had not found Spectrum my first week on campus, I would not have succeeded on campus the way I did."
For more information about the Doin' it for 40 Years celebrations or other Spectrum Center services and events, visit http://www.spectrumcenter.umich.edu.
6. Ohio University Compass, January 13, 2011
Ohio University Communications and Marketing, Athens, OH 45701
http://www.ohio.edu/compass/stories/10-11/1/gender-neutral-housing.cfm
Ohio creates gender neutral housing option: Students can apply for the pilot program
By Colleen Kiphart
This fall, Ohio University will be one of at least 55 other universities in America to offer students the option of applying to live in gender neutral housing (GNH).
Residential Housing will begin assessing interest for the program as upperclass students complete their initial housing contract. Only those students who have applied for the pilot program have the potential to be placed in GNH. Specialized applications for the program will be handled similarly to those for other specialized living communities offered by Residential Housing.
According to an FAQ on the Residential Housing website about gender neutral housing, “Gender neutral housing (GNH) communities focus on creating an inclusive environment where students can live in the same room with any student - regardless of sex, gender, gender identity/expression or sexual orientation.”
Vice President for Student Affairs Kent Smith explained why OHIO is exploring this housing option.
“GNH is an emerging topic in higher education and one that Ohio University wanted to pursue in keeping with OHIO’s commitment to diversity and providing inclusive environments,” he said. “At the same time, Student Senate came forward with their own findings and support for the program based upon a survey which showed 87 percent student support for creating a GNH living community.”
Students will be informed of the program, its guidelines, and how to apply during the standard information sessions that Residential Housing facilitates for returning students. Additionally, those students who express interest in the program will receive instructions for completing the supplemental application materials from Residential Housing after completing their initial housing contract.
“We are capable of accommodating approximately 50 upperclass students in the pilot program,” said Executive Director of Residential Housing Christine Sheets. “There are no restrictions, but rather an application and selection process for interested students.”
According to Sheets, the GNH pilot program will serve as a learning experience for the students and the University.
“Primarily, we hope to discover the effectiveness of this community from both the student and staff perspectives,” she said.
The University has been interested in the topic of GNH for some time, Smith explained.
“Diversity has always been a central focus of Ohio University’s mission, and this initiative furthers our efforts in providing an inclusive community,” he said.
“Anyone with questions or comments should contact the Residential Housing Office at 740-593-4090 and our staff will be happy to answer questions or share information with them,” said Sheets. “They can also visit our website to view information about GNH, and all of Residential Housing’s other specialized living communities at www.ohio.edu/housing/halls/slc.cfm.”
7. Concordiensis (Union College), January 13, 2011
Box 2577, Union College, 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308
http://www.concordy.com/article/news/january-13-2011/new-lgbtq-alliance-group/
New LGBTQ alliance group
By Joshua Ostrer
An LGBT ally organization, which has yet to be named, is new on campus this year. The program is aimed at training student allies in assisting with the struggles of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community.
According to the program website’s mission statement, the group focuses on the identity development of allies and developing educational interventions.
Jessica Sarrantonio ’12, who first brought the organization to Union College, explained that the program is intended to be distinct from other LGBTQ programs on campus because it will cooperate and work alongside existing programs. Nonetheless, it is, however, intended to be separate from other campus groups.
The alliance program is also intended to help fill part of the void left by Spectrum, the gay-positive campus club which is currently inactive.
The new program emphasizes training LGBTQ supporters on how to effectively support the cause.
The National Consortium of Directors of LGBTQ Resources in Higher Education clearly focuses on the term “ally”, which can be defined as an individual who supports a subjugated group by acting as a proponent of the organization’s proposed goal.
Although Union’s program is not officially cataloged on the program’s national database, Sarrantonio explained that “it’s totally in the making—it’s not an official club, yet.”
The program is unique because there is no particular method to its implementation into society. Some schools, such as the University of Michigan and Texas A&M have produced guides to their own campus programs and have made this information readily available for other schools.
However, Union’s program will use a “train the trainer” program. On Jan. 16, Megan Bolger, a senior at Hamilton College, will be visiting Union to jump-start the “train the trainer” program here at Union.
The four-hour session, which over a dozen Union students are scheduled to attend, is to be the first step in the building process. The program will be the first time all the students involved will meet together.
This initial training is designed to be the first stepping-stone in making the organization active on campus and the goal of this process is hence to expand membership by training a larger group of students to make the program more effective.
Anyone interested in joining or learning more about the program can contact Sarrantonio at sarrantj@garnet.union.edu.
8. Yale Daily News, January 15, 2011
P. O. Box 209007, New Haven, CT 06520-9007
http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/jan/15/penns-lgbt-community-reaches-out-prefrosh/
Penn's LGBT community reaches out to prefrosh
By Emily Wanger
The University of Pennsylvania is reaching out to potential members of its LGBT community before they even reach Philadelphia.
Penn started the program last spring, when members of Penn's LGBT community contacted accepted students who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, the Daily Pennsylvanian reported. Last year, 60 regular decision applicants were contacted, but this year the program is expanding to include those who are accepted early.
Under the program, application readers "flag" applicants who identified themselves as LGBT, considered themselves a strong ally to the community or had LGBT parents. Then, once they are accepted, these students are assigned to members of Penn's LGBT umbrella organization, who send them a personal e-mail.
The purpose of the program is to let pre-freshmen know about "resources on campus and ways to connect with LGBT and ally communities," said Regional Director of Admissions and LGBT liason Jordan Pascucci in an e-mail to the Daily Pennsylvanian.
Not everyone is clear on the nature of the initiative, however. Some college counselors believe the program to give an advantage to the "flagged" students in the admissions process, when it is really part of an effort to encourage LGBT students to apply to the University.
Bob Schoenberg, director of Penn's LGBT Center, told the Daily Pennsylvanian that there has been a noticeable increase in LGBT applicants in the early decision round.
_______________________________________________________________
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 regarding fair use of copyrighted work, this material is distributed without profit for information, research, and educational purposes. The Consortium has no affiliation whatsoever with the originators of these articles nor is the Consortium endorsed or sponsored by the originators.
QNOC Digest 2011.01.09
Queer News On Campus [QNOC] Articles Digest
For the week ending 2011.01.09
Brought to you by the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. http://www.lgbtcampus.org
Archives of the QNOC Digest can be found at http://queernewsoncampus.blogspot.com
Reminder: If you come across articles that should be included in the digest, please email a link to the article to articles@lgbtcampus.org
1. North by Northwestern - University forms team to handle discrimination
2. The Florida Times-Union - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness Days coming to UNF
3. Daily Record - Rutgers University hosting conference on gay youth suicide risks
4. The Daily of the University of Washington - Repealing the silence
5. The Providence Journal - URI hires first associate vice president to focus on diversity
6. The University of Michigan Spectrum Center - Doin it for 40 Years
1. North by Northwestern, January 2, 2011
PO Box 1597, Evanston, IL 60201
http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2011/01/99740/university-forms-team-to-handle-discrimination/
University forms team to handle discrimination
By Camille Beredjick
Derrick Clifton knows what it’s like to feel “different.”
He says he comes from a multicultural background “with regard to race, class, sexual orientation and religion.” A junior in the School of Communication, he’s committed to honoring his identity; he attends interfaith events on campus and works in the LGBT Resource Center.
Clifton, an African-American man, was working out with a friend at SPAC in November, when he noticed an older white male staring at him with contempt. The man approached him, spat at him, and walked away. Clifton missed dinner waiting for the police; he’s pressing charges for assault.
Faculty members are working together to create a resource to help students who have gone through similar experiences.
“Regardless of whether or not it was hate-related…whatever it is, that may happen to somebody else, or it may be a worse incident,” he says.
Doris Dirks, coordinator of the LGBT Resource Center, and other members of Northwestern’s faculty have been working for the past year to implement a bias incident reporting team (BIRT) on campus to make it easier for students to deal with bias-related incidents.
The goal, she says, is to create a more systematic way for students to report and follow through on bias incidents. The team would serve as a resource for students to find all the support needed to deal with a bias incident or hate crime.
“There should really just be a centralized place where, if you are a target of a bias incident or a hate crime, this is where you go,” Dirks says. “As a community, to have a bias incident response team sends a signal…that it’s a serious thing that the institution values.”
As the system stands now, students who have experienced bias incidents contact University Police and, if they so choose, an organization like the LGBT Resource Center, the Women’s Center or Multicultural Student Affairs, which may provide resources for the group they identify with.
Dirks says students can easily be overwhelmed by the number of decisions they have to make in a short amount of time — whom to contact, how to follow through, where to find support and acceptance. A bias incident response team would eliminate the confusion, incorporating links to University Police, representatives from various campus organizations and qualified individuals to assist with victim support and follow-up.
Ideally, she says, a victim could report a bias incident via a hotline or a web site. Within 24 hours, the team would contact the victim and discuss options. Tracking down the perpetrator, seeking legal justice or other follow-up procedures would be completely at the victim’s discretion, Dirks says, as everyone will want to deal with an incident differently.
“Having a clear procedure in place would speak to creating a campus climate where people feel valued and safe,” she says. “Then you know that something’s going to be responded to quickly, addressed quickly and resolved quickly.”
Dirks has researched reporting system mechanisms at other colleges, such as Indiana University, for general guidelines and ideas. Indiana launched its first team in 1988 in response to student protests after an African-American student was physically and verbally assaulted while jogging on campus. The school now has four separate teams – one each for incidents relating to gender, race, religion and sexual orientation.
Pamela Freeman served on a committee that founded Indiana’s first reporting team, known as the TRUST program. As the Associate Dean of Students and Director of the Office of Student Ethics and Anti-Harassment Programs, she still works closely with the TRUST program. She says she agrees that the victim should play an important role in working through a bias incident.
“We let the victim take the lead,” she says. “Especially if [the perpetrator is] in their peer group, they may not want a whole lot to be done.”
She says the TRUST program is careful not to appear too judicial or punitive. They try not to use the term “hate crime” when incidents clearly aren’t criminal, and when they are, the victim is still in charge of determining what steps should be taken.
“Most of the incidents we get involve something verbal,” she says. “They could easily be described as freedom of expression — it doesn’t quite rise to the level of a hate crime, but it’s still very disturbing.”
Campus Pride, a nonprofit organization working to make colleges safer for LGBT students, hosted a webinar on November 17 about the benefits and technicalities of creating a BIRT. About ten Northwestern students, faculty and administrators, mostly those who have already been working to create the BIRT, sat in to listen.
The webinar moderators, Greg Miraglia and Shane Windmeyer, spoke about the successes of reporting teams at other institutions. Both shared words of wisdom from their experiences working on projects related to campus diversity; Windmeyer is the founder and coordinator of CampusPride.net, and Miraglia is a dean at Napa Valley College with experience in law enforcement.
“A team sends a message against hate,” Windmeyer says. “Having a visible presence of a team on campus can go a long way in prevention itself.”
Dirks says she thinks representation at the webinar was good; it shows people from different circles of campus are interested in helping. Though the details aren’t entirely worked out, she’s hoping there’s enough momentum for the team to be up and running as early as this month.
The next step is working with administration, particularly the president and the dean of students, to launch the program. Much of the preliminary work is done, Dirks says. Though there are imperfections to iron out, the team is ready to move forward — with some help.
Freeman says administrative cooperation has been crucial in keeping the TRUST program going at Indiana, particularly because of the program’s limited power as a judicial force.
“We derive more power through influence because we’re free to recommend anything and we have established a sense of respect and trust on the part of the administration,” she says. “They often rely on us.”
As for Northwestern, Clifton says he thinks creating a BIRT should be a priority. At the very least, he says, students from all backgrounds need to feel safe on campus.
“It’s very important that students are aware that they have administrative support via policy and moral support,” he says. “[A BIRT would] help us create a culture where multiple identities and multiple cultures feel that they have a safe space everywhere on Northwestern’s campus, and not just in select circles.”
The precise shape and structure of Northwestern’s bias incident reporting team are still in the works, incorporating considerations for students’ privacy, security and general peace of mind. How it will affect campus culture is still up in the air.
2. The Florida Times-Union, January 3, 2011
P.O. Box 1949, Jacksonville, FL 32231
http://jacksonville.com/community/mandarin/2011-01-03/story/lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-awareness-days-coming-unf
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness Days coming to UNF
By Dan Scanlan
A series of workshops and events highlight Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness Days, set for Monday, Jan. 24, through Thursday, Jan. 27, at the University of North Florida.
Hosted by the university's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center, the educational programs are designed to increase education regarding gender and sexuality as well as increase visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally communities on campus.
Events include:
-"Fearless" at 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 24, at the Student Union, Building 58W, Ballroom D - Photographer Jeff Sheng will discuss his photography exhibit of more than 100 high school and collegiate athletes who are self-identified themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The exhibit is on display from 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday, from Monday, Jan. 24, until Friday, Feb. 25, in the Carpenter Library, Building 12.
-"Gay? Fine by Me": 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, in the Student Union Osprey Plaza - The "Gay? Fine by Me" T-shirt campaign brings visibility to allies of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
-"Bullied" documentary: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, Robinson Theatre - A documentary that chronicles one student's ordeal at the hands of anti-gay bullies, followed by a question-and-answer segment.
-"Queers in the Spotlight": 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, Student Union, Building 58W, Room 3804 - A discussion series on healthy living for the LGBT and ally communities, discussing media portrayals of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.
-"Out in the Workplace": noon Thursday, Jan. 27, Student Union, Building 58W, North Star Board Room - A panel of LGBT professionals in Jacksonville will speak with students about career and professional concerns as well as personal experiences of being "out" in the workplace. This event is sponsored by UNF Career Services and the UNF LGBT Resource Center.
For more information about Awareness Days, log onto unf.edu/dept/lgbt.
3. Daily Record, January 6, 2011
6 Century Drive, Parsippany, NJ 07054
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20110106/UPDATES01/110106011/1013/SPORTS08/Rutgers+hosts+conference+on+gay+youth+suicide+risks+
Rutgers University hosting conference on gay youth suicide risks
The Associated Press
SOMERSET, N.J. (AP) — A conference focusing on suicide prevention among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people is being held Thursday in New Jersey, where the suicide of a Rutgers University freshman in September cast an international spotlight on the issue.
The conference theme was chosen before 18-year-old Tyler Clementi killed himself after his roommate had allegedly used a webcam to spy on him during a liaison with another man, organizers say.
The conference is focusing on the crucial role that families and other support systems can play in helping prevent suicide and other health problems among LGBT youth, according to organizers.
Keynote speaker Caitlin Ryan, the director of the Family Acceptance Project, has researched how a family's reaction to an adolescent coming out can affect a young person's physical and mental health.
"The strong message should be that sexual orientation is a part of human development, and we really need to have education across all systems about supporting gay people," Ryan said. "Because LGBT young people are coming out at younger ages, there's a general lack of information in the systems that work with them."
The conference agenda includes topics ranging from the difference that family acceptance can make in a young LGBT person's life, to the role of schools in preventing or intervening when harassment of LGBT youth occurs.
The conference is being organized by the Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth Program, based at New Jersey's University of Medicine & Dentistry, with support from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology and the Multicultural Family Institute.
Donna Amundson, program manager of the Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth Program, said conference attendees include administrators from the legal and child welfare systems, schools, health care professionals, law enforcement and academics as well as those the conference is focusing on helping: families and young people.
"We know that one of the protective factors for suicide is family and peer connections," Amundson said. "The more that you can strengthen that, the better it's going to be; that's why we want to help these families help their kids embrace their identity and sexuality and help them to thrive."
4. The Daily of the University of Washington, January 6, 2011
http://dailyuw.com/2011/1/6/repealing-silence/
Repealing the silence
By Suzanna Parikh
Leaders from the University of Washington’s Army ROTC program, which has gained popularity in recent years, said they expect little change to their programs due to the implementation of the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) that passed last month.
“Nothing changes for us,” said Maj. Stephen Frank, associate professor of military science. “Army core values are fair and equal treatment for everyone. … It doesn’t affect how we do business.”
After much heated debate, Congress agreed to repeal the DADT policy in late December. President Barack Obama cemented the decision four days later, signing the bill into law on Dec. 22.
For Obama, who promised the repeal of DADT during the 2008 presidential election, this comes as a major political victory. Since the establishment of the policy in 1993, gay and lesbian soldiers have been unable to serve openly in the U.S. military, resulting in the overall discharge of about 13,000 people, according to The Washington Post.
Frank not only expects little to change, he also said that with the repeal of DADT, he hopes more people might see the program in a “better light.” Members of the gay and lesbian community at the UW too are optimistic about the change, such as Emily Juhre, a member of the campus GLBTC advocacy group, SOLE.
“I think it’s going to present more of an opportunity for people who would otherwise not have an interest in the military,” Juhre said of the repeal.
The UW’s Army ROTC won’t be alone: the UW’s Naval ROTC and Air Force ROTC, too, will have to comply with the former law’s repeal.
U.S. Army Maj. and associate professor of military science Brett Rubio said the UW’s Army ROTC program has done its best to foster a community of openness and diversity.
“We are all-inclusive; we want a variety of viewpoints in our classroom,” Rubio said. “We want people from all walks of life and foster a welcoming environment in our classes.”
The Army ROTC program, established at the UW in 1916, has gained popularity during recent years, with approximately 50 students currently in the program. Many students also take the ROTC introductory course, Military Science and Leadership Development, as an elective.
In autumn of 2005, 22 students were enrolled in the class. This past fall, 106 students were signed up for the class. Out of this number, approximately 13 students were actually contracted at the time, meaning that they are part of the ROTC program. Frank encourages interested students to give the ROTC a chance, and is always open to a dialogue with anyone interested to determine if the program would be a good fit.
The UW ROTC program is one of 489 programs in the nation. Although it is too soon to tell the full effects of this decision, many remain hopeful that it will encourage the expansion and reimplementation of ROTC programs at colleges around the nation.
ROTC programs on campus allow students to train for future careers with the U.S. military while completing their college educations. To encourage this, the organization Advocates for ROTC promotes the re-establishment of the military program at colleges that once had it.
DADT was one of the major factors that influenced schools, such as Harvard, Columbia and Yale, to remove ROTC programs from their campuses due to what they considered to be discriminatory practices.
There is still a long way to go before the repeal of the policy will take full effect, as the Obama administration wants to ensure that the new policy will not have a negative effect on the military, with the aid of a recent Pentagon study concerning gays in the military. In addition, the Pentagon has created an 87-page implementation plan for the repeal of DADT, which may take months to fully enact. The repeal will be officially implemented 60 days after the Obama administration decides that the military is prepared for the policy change.
Frank welcomes anyone who is interested in possibly pursuing a career in the army.
“We find out if [the ROTC] is a good fit,” he said, “and if it works out, we make them second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.”
Reach Co-Copy Chief Suzanna Parikh at news@dailyuw.com.
5. The Providence Journal, January 7, 2011
75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902
http://www.projo.com/education/content/URI_DIVERSITY_01-07-11_7KLR8DV_v10.b3048.html
URI hires first associate vice president to focus on diversity
By Gina Macris
SOUTH KINGSTOWN Kathryn A. Friedman, former executive director of diversity and equity at the University of Vermont, began work Tuesday at the University of Rhode Island in the new position of associate vice president for community, equity, and diversity.
URI President David M. Dooley announced Thursday that she will report directly to him and supervise the Women’s Center; Multicultural Center; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Transgender Center; the Bias Incident Response Team; and the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity.
“This position is critical to achieving our goals,” Dooley said in a statement.
He said he envisions URI as an “exemplary community built on a foundation of diversity and equity,” which “must become ingrained in the full array of work of the entire university.”
The appointment fulfills one of several promises made by URI last year to end a two-week, round-the-clock sit-in of the library’s 24-hour room by about a dozen GLBT students trying to call attention to anti-gay bias on campus.
6. The University of Michigan Spectrum Center
3200 Michigan Union, 530 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
http://spectrumcenter.umich.edu/40years
Unknown
(Ann Arbor, MI) - The Spectrum Center, The University of Michigan’s office focusing on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, will kick off Doin it for 40 Years, a year-long celebration of forty years of LGBT activism, with a Birthday Party hosted at the University Of Michigan Museum Of Art on January 10, 2011. Doors will open at 6pm and the program will begin at 7pm, followed by live music, student created art work, catering by University Catering, and birthday cake. Join us to receive Spectrum Center 40th Anniversary gift giveaways and to hear about the many events to come over the next year.
Throughout the Doin it for 40 Years celebration the Spectrum Center is collaborating with Schools and Colleges across the University and many units within the Division of Student Affairs to put on a multidimensional program that has something for everyone. Highlights include a monthly film series with featured directors, musical performances, a health panel series, youth dialogues, and keynote speakers and entertainers.
In conjunction with Doin it for 40 Years, the University of Michigan has also been chosen as the 2011 host of the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference (MBLGTACC). This is the largest student-led LGBT conference in the nation and will be taking place on campus from Friday, February 25 through Sunday, February 27. Featured speakers and entertainers include Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality; Mandy Carter, founder of the National Black Justice Coalition; and P.J. Serrano, President of Puerto Rico Para Tod@s. For more information on MBLGTACC please visit http://www.mblgtacc2011.org/.
When the office opened its doors in 1971, then known as the Human Sexuality Office, it was the first office in the nation to service LGBT college students. Throughout the year we will take the opportunity to celebrate the experiences current students and alumni have had with the Spectrum Center. Michigan Student Assembly President, Chris Armstrong describes why he will take time to celebrate the Spectrum Center’s 40th Anniversary, “The Spectrum Center is truly a place where out LGBT leaders can grow and develop. It connects students to the many resources that are around them and shows them the larger Michigan community they are a part of. If I had not found Spectrum my first week on campus, I would not have succeeded on campus the way I did.” This year of events not only celebrates this event on our campus, but celebrates student services focused on gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation throughout the nation. For more information on Spectrum Center programs and the Doin it for 40 Years program of events visit us at www.spectrumcenter.umich.edu , email us at spectrumcenter@umich.edu, or call us at 734-763-4186.
_______________________________________________________________
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 regarding fair use of copyrighted work, this material is distributed without profit for information, research, and educational purposes. The Consortium has no affiliation whatsoever with the originators of these articles nor is the Consortium endorsed or sponsored by the originators.
For the week ending 2011.01.09
Brought to you by the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. http://www.lgbtcampus.org
Archives of the QNOC Digest can be found at http://queernewsoncampus.blogspot.com
Reminder: If you come across articles that should be included in the digest, please email a link to the article to articles@lgbtcampus.org
1. North by Northwestern - University forms team to handle discrimination
2. The Florida Times-Union - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness Days coming to UNF
3. Daily Record - Rutgers University hosting conference on gay youth suicide risks
4. The Daily of the University of Washington - Repealing the silence
5. The Providence Journal - URI hires first associate vice president to focus on diversity
6. The University of Michigan Spectrum Center - Doin it for 40 Years
1. North by Northwestern, January 2, 2011
PO Box 1597, Evanston, IL 60201
http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2011/01/99740/university-forms-team-to-handle-discrimination/
University forms team to handle discrimination
By Camille Beredjick
Derrick Clifton knows what it’s like to feel “different.”
He says he comes from a multicultural background “with regard to race, class, sexual orientation and religion.” A junior in the School of Communication, he’s committed to honoring his identity; he attends interfaith events on campus and works in the LGBT Resource Center.
Clifton, an African-American man, was working out with a friend at SPAC in November, when he noticed an older white male staring at him with contempt. The man approached him, spat at him, and walked away. Clifton missed dinner waiting for the police; he’s pressing charges for assault.
Faculty members are working together to create a resource to help students who have gone through similar experiences.
“Regardless of whether or not it was hate-related…whatever it is, that may happen to somebody else, or it may be a worse incident,” he says.
Doris Dirks, coordinator of the LGBT Resource Center, and other members of Northwestern’s faculty have been working for the past year to implement a bias incident reporting team (BIRT) on campus to make it easier for students to deal with bias-related incidents.
The goal, she says, is to create a more systematic way for students to report and follow through on bias incidents. The team would serve as a resource for students to find all the support needed to deal with a bias incident or hate crime.
“There should really just be a centralized place where, if you are a target of a bias incident or a hate crime, this is where you go,” Dirks says. “As a community, to have a bias incident response team sends a signal…that it’s a serious thing that the institution values.”
As the system stands now, students who have experienced bias incidents contact University Police and, if they so choose, an organization like the LGBT Resource Center, the Women’s Center or Multicultural Student Affairs, which may provide resources for the group they identify with.
Dirks says students can easily be overwhelmed by the number of decisions they have to make in a short amount of time — whom to contact, how to follow through, where to find support and acceptance. A bias incident response team would eliminate the confusion, incorporating links to University Police, representatives from various campus organizations and qualified individuals to assist with victim support and follow-up.
Ideally, she says, a victim could report a bias incident via a hotline or a web site. Within 24 hours, the team would contact the victim and discuss options. Tracking down the perpetrator, seeking legal justice or other follow-up procedures would be completely at the victim’s discretion, Dirks says, as everyone will want to deal with an incident differently.
“Having a clear procedure in place would speak to creating a campus climate where people feel valued and safe,” she says. “Then you know that something’s going to be responded to quickly, addressed quickly and resolved quickly.”
Dirks has researched reporting system mechanisms at other colleges, such as Indiana University, for general guidelines and ideas. Indiana launched its first team in 1988 in response to student protests after an African-American student was physically and verbally assaulted while jogging on campus. The school now has four separate teams – one each for incidents relating to gender, race, religion and sexual orientation.
Pamela Freeman served on a committee that founded Indiana’s first reporting team, known as the TRUST program. As the Associate Dean of Students and Director of the Office of Student Ethics and Anti-Harassment Programs, she still works closely with the TRUST program. She says she agrees that the victim should play an important role in working through a bias incident.
“We let the victim take the lead,” she says. “Especially if [the perpetrator is] in their peer group, they may not want a whole lot to be done.”
She says the TRUST program is careful not to appear too judicial or punitive. They try not to use the term “hate crime” when incidents clearly aren’t criminal, and when they are, the victim is still in charge of determining what steps should be taken.
“Most of the incidents we get involve something verbal,” she says. “They could easily be described as freedom of expression — it doesn’t quite rise to the level of a hate crime, but it’s still very disturbing.”
Campus Pride, a nonprofit organization working to make colleges safer for LGBT students, hosted a webinar on November 17 about the benefits and technicalities of creating a BIRT. About ten Northwestern students, faculty and administrators, mostly those who have already been working to create the BIRT, sat in to listen.
The webinar moderators, Greg Miraglia and Shane Windmeyer, spoke about the successes of reporting teams at other institutions. Both shared words of wisdom from their experiences working on projects related to campus diversity; Windmeyer is the founder and coordinator of CampusPride.net, and Miraglia is a dean at Napa Valley College with experience in law enforcement.
“A team sends a message against hate,” Windmeyer says. “Having a visible presence of a team on campus can go a long way in prevention itself.”
Dirks says she thinks representation at the webinar was good; it shows people from different circles of campus are interested in helping. Though the details aren’t entirely worked out, she’s hoping there’s enough momentum for the team to be up and running as early as this month.
The next step is working with administration, particularly the president and the dean of students, to launch the program. Much of the preliminary work is done, Dirks says. Though there are imperfections to iron out, the team is ready to move forward — with some help.
Freeman says administrative cooperation has been crucial in keeping the TRUST program going at Indiana, particularly because of the program’s limited power as a judicial force.
“We derive more power through influence because we’re free to recommend anything and we have established a sense of respect and trust on the part of the administration,” she says. “They often rely on us.”
As for Northwestern, Clifton says he thinks creating a BIRT should be a priority. At the very least, he says, students from all backgrounds need to feel safe on campus.
“It’s very important that students are aware that they have administrative support via policy and moral support,” he says. “[A BIRT would] help us create a culture where multiple identities and multiple cultures feel that they have a safe space everywhere on Northwestern’s campus, and not just in select circles.”
The precise shape and structure of Northwestern’s bias incident reporting team are still in the works, incorporating considerations for students’ privacy, security and general peace of mind. How it will affect campus culture is still up in the air.
2. The Florida Times-Union, January 3, 2011
P.O. Box 1949, Jacksonville, FL 32231
http://jacksonville.com/community/mandarin/2011-01-03/story/lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-awareness-days-coming-unf
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness Days coming to UNF
By Dan Scanlan
A series of workshops and events highlight Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Awareness Days, set for Monday, Jan. 24, through Thursday, Jan. 27, at the University of North Florida.
Hosted by the university's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center, the educational programs are designed to increase education regarding gender and sexuality as well as increase visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally communities on campus.
Events include:
-"Fearless" at 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 24, at the Student Union, Building 58W, Ballroom D - Photographer Jeff Sheng will discuss his photography exhibit of more than 100 high school and collegiate athletes who are self-identified themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The exhibit is on display from 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday, from Monday, Jan. 24, until Friday, Feb. 25, in the Carpenter Library, Building 12.
-"Gay? Fine by Me": 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, in the Student Union Osprey Plaza - The "Gay? Fine by Me" T-shirt campaign brings visibility to allies of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
-"Bullied" documentary: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, Robinson Theatre - A documentary that chronicles one student's ordeal at the hands of anti-gay bullies, followed by a question-and-answer segment.
-"Queers in the Spotlight": 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, Student Union, Building 58W, Room 3804 - A discussion series on healthy living for the LGBT and ally communities, discussing media portrayals of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.
-"Out in the Workplace": noon Thursday, Jan. 27, Student Union, Building 58W, North Star Board Room - A panel of LGBT professionals in Jacksonville will speak with students about career and professional concerns as well as personal experiences of being "out" in the workplace. This event is sponsored by UNF Career Services and the UNF LGBT Resource Center.
For more information about Awareness Days, log onto unf.edu/dept/lgbt.
3. Daily Record, January 6, 2011
6 Century Drive, Parsippany, NJ 07054
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20110106/UPDATES01/110106011/1013/SPORTS08/Rutgers+hosts+conference+on+gay+youth+suicide+risks+
Rutgers University hosting conference on gay youth suicide risks
The Associated Press
SOMERSET, N.J. (AP) — A conference focusing on suicide prevention among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people is being held Thursday in New Jersey, where the suicide of a Rutgers University freshman in September cast an international spotlight on the issue.
The conference theme was chosen before 18-year-old Tyler Clementi killed himself after his roommate had allegedly used a webcam to spy on him during a liaison with another man, organizers say.
The conference is focusing on the crucial role that families and other support systems can play in helping prevent suicide and other health problems among LGBT youth, according to organizers.
Keynote speaker Caitlin Ryan, the director of the Family Acceptance Project, has researched how a family's reaction to an adolescent coming out can affect a young person's physical and mental health.
"The strong message should be that sexual orientation is a part of human development, and we really need to have education across all systems about supporting gay people," Ryan said. "Because LGBT young people are coming out at younger ages, there's a general lack of information in the systems that work with them."
The conference agenda includes topics ranging from the difference that family acceptance can make in a young LGBT person's life, to the role of schools in preventing or intervening when harassment of LGBT youth occurs.
The conference is being organized by the Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth Program, based at New Jersey's University of Medicine & Dentistry, with support from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology and the Multicultural Family Institute.
Donna Amundson, program manager of the Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth Program, said conference attendees include administrators from the legal and child welfare systems, schools, health care professionals, law enforcement and academics as well as those the conference is focusing on helping: families and young people.
"We know that one of the protective factors for suicide is family and peer connections," Amundson said. "The more that you can strengthen that, the better it's going to be; that's why we want to help these families help their kids embrace their identity and sexuality and help them to thrive."
4. The Daily of the University of Washington, January 6, 2011
http://dailyuw.com/2011/1/6/repealing-silence/
Repealing the silence
By Suzanna Parikh
Leaders from the University of Washington’s Army ROTC program, which has gained popularity in recent years, said they expect little change to their programs due to the implementation of the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) that passed last month.
“Nothing changes for us,” said Maj. Stephen Frank, associate professor of military science. “Army core values are fair and equal treatment for everyone. … It doesn’t affect how we do business.”
After much heated debate, Congress agreed to repeal the DADT policy in late December. President Barack Obama cemented the decision four days later, signing the bill into law on Dec. 22.
For Obama, who promised the repeal of DADT during the 2008 presidential election, this comes as a major political victory. Since the establishment of the policy in 1993, gay and lesbian soldiers have been unable to serve openly in the U.S. military, resulting in the overall discharge of about 13,000 people, according to The Washington Post.
Frank not only expects little to change, he also said that with the repeal of DADT, he hopes more people might see the program in a “better light.” Members of the gay and lesbian community at the UW too are optimistic about the change, such as Emily Juhre, a member of the campus GLBTC advocacy group, SOLE.
“I think it’s going to present more of an opportunity for people who would otherwise not have an interest in the military,” Juhre said of the repeal.
The UW’s Army ROTC won’t be alone: the UW’s Naval ROTC and Air Force ROTC, too, will have to comply with the former law’s repeal.
U.S. Army Maj. and associate professor of military science Brett Rubio said the UW’s Army ROTC program has done its best to foster a community of openness and diversity.
“We are all-inclusive; we want a variety of viewpoints in our classroom,” Rubio said. “We want people from all walks of life and foster a welcoming environment in our classes.”
The Army ROTC program, established at the UW in 1916, has gained popularity during recent years, with approximately 50 students currently in the program. Many students also take the ROTC introductory course, Military Science and Leadership Development, as an elective.
In autumn of 2005, 22 students were enrolled in the class. This past fall, 106 students were signed up for the class. Out of this number, approximately 13 students were actually contracted at the time, meaning that they are part of the ROTC program. Frank encourages interested students to give the ROTC a chance, and is always open to a dialogue with anyone interested to determine if the program would be a good fit.
The UW ROTC program is one of 489 programs in the nation. Although it is too soon to tell the full effects of this decision, many remain hopeful that it will encourage the expansion and reimplementation of ROTC programs at colleges around the nation.
ROTC programs on campus allow students to train for future careers with the U.S. military while completing their college educations. To encourage this, the organization Advocates for ROTC promotes the re-establishment of the military program at colleges that once had it.
DADT was one of the major factors that influenced schools, such as Harvard, Columbia and Yale, to remove ROTC programs from their campuses due to what they considered to be discriminatory practices.
There is still a long way to go before the repeal of the policy will take full effect, as the Obama administration wants to ensure that the new policy will not have a negative effect on the military, with the aid of a recent Pentagon study concerning gays in the military. In addition, the Pentagon has created an 87-page implementation plan for the repeal of DADT, which may take months to fully enact. The repeal will be officially implemented 60 days after the Obama administration decides that the military is prepared for the policy change.
Frank welcomes anyone who is interested in possibly pursuing a career in the army.
“We find out if [the ROTC] is a good fit,” he said, “and if it works out, we make them second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.”
Reach Co-Copy Chief Suzanna Parikh at news@dailyuw.com.
5. The Providence Journal, January 7, 2011
75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902
http://www.projo.com/education/content/URI_DIVERSITY_01-07-11_7KLR8DV_v10.b3048.html
URI hires first associate vice president to focus on diversity
By Gina Macris
SOUTH KINGSTOWN Kathryn A. Friedman, former executive director of diversity and equity at the University of Vermont, began work Tuesday at the University of Rhode Island in the new position of associate vice president for community, equity, and diversity.
URI President David M. Dooley announced Thursday that she will report directly to him and supervise the Women’s Center; Multicultural Center; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Transgender Center; the Bias Incident Response Team; and the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity.
“This position is critical to achieving our goals,” Dooley said in a statement.
He said he envisions URI as an “exemplary community built on a foundation of diversity and equity,” which “must become ingrained in the full array of work of the entire university.”
The appointment fulfills one of several promises made by URI last year to end a two-week, round-the-clock sit-in of the library’s 24-hour room by about a dozen GLBT students trying to call attention to anti-gay bias on campus.
6. The University of Michigan Spectrum Center
3200 Michigan Union, 530 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
http://spectrumcenter.umich.edu/40years
Unknown
(Ann Arbor, MI) - The Spectrum Center, The University of Michigan’s office focusing on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, will kick off Doin it for 40 Years, a year-long celebration of forty years of LGBT activism, with a Birthday Party hosted at the University Of Michigan Museum Of Art on January 10, 2011. Doors will open at 6pm and the program will begin at 7pm, followed by live music, student created art work, catering by University Catering, and birthday cake. Join us to receive Spectrum Center 40th Anniversary gift giveaways and to hear about the many events to come over the next year.
Throughout the Doin it for 40 Years celebration the Spectrum Center is collaborating with Schools and Colleges across the University and many units within the Division of Student Affairs to put on a multidimensional program that has something for everyone. Highlights include a monthly film series with featured directors, musical performances, a health panel series, youth dialogues, and keynote speakers and entertainers.
In conjunction with Doin it for 40 Years, the University of Michigan has also been chosen as the 2011 host of the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference (MBLGTACC). This is the largest student-led LGBT conference in the nation and will be taking place on campus from Friday, February 25 through Sunday, February 27. Featured speakers and entertainers include Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality; Mandy Carter, founder of the National Black Justice Coalition; and P.J. Serrano, President of Puerto Rico Para Tod@s. For more information on MBLGTACC please visit http://www.mblgtacc2011.org/.
When the office opened its doors in 1971, then known as the Human Sexuality Office, it was the first office in the nation to service LGBT college students. Throughout the year we will take the opportunity to celebrate the experiences current students and alumni have had with the Spectrum Center. Michigan Student Assembly President, Chris Armstrong describes why he will take time to celebrate the Spectrum Center’s 40th Anniversary, “The Spectrum Center is truly a place where out LGBT leaders can grow and develop. It connects students to the many resources that are around them and shows them the larger Michigan community they are a part of. If I had not found Spectrum my first week on campus, I would not have succeeded on campus the way I did.” This year of events not only celebrates this event on our campus, but celebrates student services focused on gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation throughout the nation. For more information on Spectrum Center programs and the Doin it for 40 Years program of events visit us at www.spectrumcenter.umich.edu , email us at spectrumcenter@umich.edu, or call us at 734-763-4186.
_______________________________________________________________
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 regarding fair use of copyrighted work, this material is distributed without profit for information, research, and educational purposes. The Consortium has no affiliation whatsoever with the originators of these articles nor is the Consortium endorsed or sponsored by the originators.
QNOC Digest 2011.01.02
Queer News On Campus [QNOC] Articles Digest
For the week ending 2011.01.02
Brought to you by the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. http://www.lgbtcampus.org
Archives of the QNOC Digest can be found at http://queernewsoncampus.blogspot.com
Reminder: If you come across articles that should be included in the digest, please email a link to the article to articles@lgbtcampus.org
1. The Tennessean - Belmont flap over gay coach puts professor/councilwoman in middle
2. The Bryan-College Station Eagle - Discharged Aggie tells his story
3. AnnArbor.com - University of Michigan students push for gender-neutral housing
4. The Queens Courier - Hate crime rocks Queens College club
5. The Washington Post - 'Don't ask, don't tell' has been repealed. ROTC still shouldn't be on campus.
6. Bangor Daily News - Former ROTC cadet: Repeal ends the lies
1. The Tennessean, December 25, 2010
1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101225/NEWS01/12250323/Belmont-flap-over-gay-coach-puts-professor/councilwoman-in-middle
Belmont flap over gay coach puts professor/councilwoman in middle
By Nate Rau
The controversial departure of Belmont University's women's soccer coach has prompted Metro government officials to consider an array of new policies that would extend the city's nondiscrimination policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
None of the proposals, however, have come from Metro Councilwoman Kristine LaLonde, who is a professor at the university and whose district encompasses the school near Hillsboro Village.
Potential conflicts of interest were a concern for some residents of District 18 when LaLonde ran for office nearly two years ago. LaLonde replaced Keith Durbin, who became the first openly gay elected official in the history of Tennessee.
Since the highly publicized exit of openly gay Belmont soccer coach Lisa Howe, LaLonde said she has concentrated on working in her role as a Belmont faculty member to amend the school's nondiscrimination policy. Some of LaLonde's colleagues say she has played an important role in that process. But some constituents question whether working for the university has created an impossible conflict of interest.
Howe departed from the university earlier this month and according to some of her players, she was fired because of her sexual orientation. Howe's partner is pregnant with the couple's first child. Neither the university nor Howe have said publicly what led to her departure.
The incident has brought a wave of local and national media coverage. Some city officials have responded by proposing to extend Metro's policy that prevents discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Mayor Karl Dean requested that Metro agencies that act autonomously from the city, such as the Airport Authority and the Metro Development and Housing Agency, adopt the policy.
Metro Councilmen Jamie Hollin and Mike Jameson have gone one step further. They're preparing a proposal that would require private contractors to adopt the nondiscrimination policy as well. The councilmen also have proposed rescinding the city's contract with Belmont allowing the school to use E.S. Rose Park for some of its athletics events.
Instead of pursing new policies such as these, LaLonde said she worked with Belmont's faculty senate, which announced earlier this month it supported forming a new written policy protecting gay students, faculty and staff members.
"If I were an outsider to Belmont and only had one way to influence what they do, then I would look for that one way," said LaLonde, who revealed she was going through the tenure application process with the university when the controversy unfolded. "But I'm not an outsider to Belmont."
'Conflict Of Interest'
But some politically active constituents of LaLonde's affluent district say she should have been leading on the issue.
John Green chairs the Belmont Neighborhood Advisory Group, a panel of residents that meet to discuss planning issues between the university and its surrounding community.
Green said he supported LaLonde when she ran in 2009, but now he wonders if a conflict of interest exists that makes her job as a district council member too difficult. Green pointed to the university's proposed changes to 15th Avenue South to accommodate a new law school. Some neighbors fear the proposal could take away too much parking and lead to traffic problems in the future.
"A concern I have is I think she has an awkward situation wearing two hats," Green said. "I think it creates a real question, and I'm not sure she's been able to figure it out in her own mind, too."
LaLonde Has Support
But one of LaLonde's colleagues said she handled the situation correctly by working internally to call for changes to Belmont's own policies.
"I would say that leaping forward is not always the best course of action, especially when you understand the intricacies of the way institutions work," said Belmont associate professor of English Bonnie Smith Whitehouse, who also lives in the district. "I think her choices exhibit mature, smart leadership."
She Favors Metro Idea
LaLonde, who has not announced whether she's running for re-election next year, said she supports the proposal to require city contractors to adopt Metro's nondiscrimination policy. Admitting the past few weeks have been challenging,
LaLonde said the ultimate goal is to prevent future discrimination.
LaLonde said it would be difficult to continue working at Belmont if the school's policies didn't protect gay students, faculty and staff.
"If the goal is we want everyone to be welcome and treated equally at Belmont, what is the best way for me to help Belmont get there?" LaLonde said.
"I absolutely felt like the best way for me to do this is to work as a faculty member, to hopefully set a path that we'll quickly get there."
Nate Rau can be reached at 615-259-8094 or nrau@tennessean.com.
2. The Bryan-College Station Eagle, December 26, 2010
1729 Briarcrest Drive, P.O. Box 3000, Bryan, TX 77802
http://www.theeagle.com/local/Discharged-Aggie-tells-his-story
Discharged Aggie tells his story
By Vimal Patel
Three little words threw Aggie Danny Hernandez's life into a whirl: Are you gay?
In fall 2009, as Hernandez served as a reservist in the Marine Corps while finishing his last semester at Texas A&M, the startling inquiry came from his first sergeant in Waco when the superior got word Hernandez had told others about his sexuality.
He felt all he had worked toward slipping away. He considered lying but saw a stack of papers on the sergeant's desk, the top two appearing to be handwritten witness statements.
Hernandez answered truthfully.
Raised in Paradise, Texas, Hernandez wanted to be a Marine since he was age 14. So he enrolled at one of the nation's most military friendly schools, Texas A&M, because of its Corps of Cadets.
There, he dove into Aggiedom, serving as a Fish Camp counselor and in the Corps of Cadets. He also was in the famous Aggie Band and elite Ross Volunteer Company, the Texas governor's honor guard.
While a student, the communications and sociology double major worked in the marketing and communications department and was even an Aggieland Visitor Center tour guide, walking would-be Aggies across campus and scooting VIPs in a golf cart.
"I fell in love with the school," he said.
'I was scared'
He confided in cadets at Texas A&M that he was gay, and in all his time in the Corps, an issue never arose. During his junior year, he enlisted as a reservist in the Marines.
In fall 2009, he confided in two men in his reserve unit that he was gay. One told another, Hernandez said, and word spread and reached the first sergeant, and eventually commanding officer.
"I was scared," Hernandez said. "I didn't know how to answer, and I said 'yes.' He told me he knew what I had told those two other Marines, and that he had asked them to write statements on everything I had talked to them about, and they complied. They used that as credible evidence that I had in fact told somebody."
His commanding officer, Hernandez said, informed him that he would be discharged from the military.
Weeks away from graduation, he thought his career in the military was set, so he hadn't been applying for any jobs, and now, he had nowhere to go after A&M. Also, he said, his contract had stated that the Marines would pick up his student loans, so he didn't bother applying for scholarships, but now was stuck with some $15,000 in loans.
"Everything I was planning was basically crumbling during this short period of time," Hernandez said.
And he felt alone. Though he had confided in close friends that he was gay, he was far from open. He was raised a devout Catholic and was worried family members wouldn't take it well, so he didn't tell them.
After graduation, he headed to Washington, landing work at a non-profit and eventually joining the staff of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a non-profit founded to advocate for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He's working there now as a development assistant.
'...be faithful to me'
On April 28, nine weeks after he was discharged, Hernandez wrote a letter -- reluctantly -- that was posted on the SLDN website to President Barack Obama, who had promised as a candidate to end the policy.
He wrote of his willingness to still die for the country that wouldn't allow him to serve, of his shattered dream of being an officer, of the Marine Corps motto Semper fidelis, meaning always faithful.
"I have remained faithful to my country," he concluded. "Please be faithful to me."
He was scared again after the posting.
He still hadn't told his family, but the defense network website had 150,000 hits that day, and the letter -- part of a project titled "Stories From The Front Lines: Letters to President Barack Obama" -- was carried by several media outlets.
He called home that night. His family -- he was raised by his aunt and uncle -- took the news exceptionally well and have been supportive since, he said.
"My family's biggest disappointment they voiced was they wished I was upfront with them so they could have at least been there with me as I was going through it," Hernandez said.
This month, he was in the Senate gallery as the Senate voted 65 to 31 to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, clearing the last hurdle to repeal the policy born 17 years ago when newly-elected President Bill Clinton was caught between a campaign promise to allow gays to serve in the military and an unexpected level of opposition to the idea.
"I was sitting with SLDN board members and veterans affected by the policy. I've been involved with this movement for a few months. A lot of the people I was with were involved for 17 years," Hernandez said. "It was incredibly momentous and just very emotional."
Last week, he met Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, an advocate of repeal (the last year connected him with another powerful woman, pop star Lady Gaga, who he met in D.C. and allowed him to speak before her at a September repeal rally in Maine).
"I feel like I've grown up more this past year than I have throughout the rest of my life, and I think that's all positive," Hernandez said. "But at the same time, it is an injustice. Something that I was struggling with, something that was such a small part of my life at that point, was the reason that I lost so much of what I had worked for."
He's at a crossroads, now. Plan A is to go back into the service once a pending legal matter related to his discharge is resolved, and the policy -- which remains in effect -- ends. And Plan B is law school. He took the LSAT last month and doesn't know yet how he did.
The 23-year-old's journey is one of some 14,000 stories of discharges under the policy, according to SLDN.
"People think gay, and they think effiminate, or they think not manly, or they think crazy, radical, liberal activist, and I wouldn't really consider myself any of those things," Hernandez said. "I'm a Texan, and I'm an Aggie, and I'm just like everyone else, aside from that one aspect of my life -- that I'm gay."
3. AnnArbor.com, December 28, 2010
301 E. Liberty St., Suite 700, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
http://www.annarbor.com/news/university-of-michigan-students-push-for-gender-neutral-housing/
University of Michigan students push for gender-neutral housing
By David Jesse
A proposal to allow gender-neutral housing in the University of Michigan’s residence halls is now awaiting review and action by U-M’s housing department.
A group of students formed the Open Housing Initiative and drafted a proposal, which was recently submitted to the university’s housing administrators.
Their goal is to give students — especially those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities — more choices when they pick where they want to live and with whom while going to school.
Currently, students are assigned roommates of the same gender, although the university has exceptions for transgender students.
“University Housing received the Open Housing proposal, and we appreciate the considerable effort and thought the students have put into the proposal,” housing spokesman Peter Logan said in an e-mail. “Their recommendations are being reviewed and discussed among representatives of the student group, Housing and Student Affairs, and we expect that process to continue for awhile. At this point, I am not aware of any timetable.”
The students have been working for several years on the plan and have made revisions to it over time.
The current plan offers a couple of options, said Rebecca Egler, a student working on the initiative.
The first, and preferred option, would be to allow students of different genders to room together. In that case, the students would have to cross-match, or ask to room with a specific person.
The philosophy behind that is that students themselves are best equipped to make decisions about whom they should live with, Egler said.
Making students ask for a specific person of a different gender, rather than just a generic person of a different gender, should help alleviate safety concerns, the students believe.
The other option would be to make a floor of a dorm gender-neutral. But that’s not ideal, Egler said, because students would feel like they were being set apart and not included in the overall community.
The university has some female-only housing options, but the majority of its housing options are co-ed.
The university already has a policy on gender-neutral living.
It says, “University Housing works to provide a safe, comfortable and supportive living experience for all students living in Michigan’s residential facilities. We offer gender-neutral housing that is supportive of transgender individuals.
“If you are interested in a gender-neutral room or apartment space, we ask that you contact the Housing Information Office as soon as possible. We can provide you with a personal and confidential assessment of the available options."
Egler said most students are supportive of the move.
However, it has sparked controversy before, including from alumnus Andrew Shirvell, who criticized current student body President Chris Armstrong for his support and advocacy for the change.
David Jesse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.
4. The Queens Courier, December 29, 2010
Schneps Publications, Inc., 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361
http://queenscourier.com/articles/2010/12/29/news/top_stories/doc4d10fa3b5622a772485591.txt
Hate crime rocks Queens College club
By Jano Tantongco
When Deborah Lolai first saw the messages of hate, she started bawling.
On Tuesday, December 7, homophobic messages defaced student artwork in a club for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) youth in the Student Union building at Queens College.
Lolai, president of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Alliance (GLASA), saw the words “fag,” “dyke” and others unfit for print written in her place of solace. For many LGBT students at the college, GLASA is the safe haven where they can be themselves.
“I just fell on the floor and started bawling,” said Lolai, 23. “I have never felt that sort of hatred at Queens College towards us before.”
After involving campus police, the city police were called, and the 109th Precinct’s Hate Crimes Unit responded.
Behind one of the larger paintings, the word “dyke” was fashioned with the club’s purple duct tape. Under another painting, the word “dike” was punched in with a pin, one hole at a time. Lolai speculated that the people who did this took their time to write the slurs in several media. The different spellings of the word “dyke” suggest that there were multiple individuals involved, Lolai said.
“The way whoever did this . . . makes it a lot more terrifying,” said Lolai. “Thinking about someone sitting there and poking the wall is really creepy and really scary.”
James Robinson, communication director for GLASA, initially found the words “No fags” written behind a poster that listed the club’s rules.
Trent Carroll, 18, felt physically ill at the discovery.
Carroll and Jenn Polish, another GLASA member, searched the room for more slurs.
Lolai would not have been as disturbed if the words were out in the open. Instead, they were carefully crafted, hidden behind deeply personal pieces of art. On Lolai’s oil painting depicting strength through unity, “dike” was written on the reverse side of the canvas. The painting also represented the struggle that LGBT people face, Lolai said. In dealing with her identity, she said she was hospitalized for a year in high school, suffering from anorexia and bulimia.
“Those are the words – ‘fag,’ ‘dyke’ and ‘tranny’ – they’re the last words that people hear when they’re beaten to death,” said Lolai.
City Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer, himself an openly gay man, condemned the vandalism.
“Sadly, tragically, there are still ignorant people in the world,” said Van Bramer.
Calling GLASA a “very strong, visible LGBT student group,” Van Bramer asked QC students to stand against the hate.
President of QC James L. Muyskens stated that the college does not tolerate homophobia or any kind of harassment.
“I assure you that anyone found to have committed such acts on our campus will be held accountable. The tragic rash of suicides nationwide by gay youth who have been bullied is a call to action to all of us to make sure that this kind of conduct ends,” Muyskens wrote.
Lolai said that there is usually someone in the office. Most of the club members left the space to host the AIDS quilt that came to the college on Wednesday, December 1, which was also World AIDS Day. She believes the perpetrators would have had an opening at that time.
There are several security cameras in the basement of the building, where the clubs are situated. However, there are none in the area where GLASA’s space was located. Since the incident, GLASA has moved to a new room.
5. The Washington Post, December 30, 2010
1150 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20071
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/29/AR2010122903033.html
'Don't ask, don't tell' has been repealed. ROTC still shouldn't be on campus.
By Colman McCarthy
Now that asking and telling has ceased to be problematic in military circles, ROTC has resurfaced as a national issue: Will universities such as Harvard, Yale and other Ivy League schools be opened to Reserve Officers' Training Corps since colleges can no longer can argue that the military is biased against gays and therefore not welcome?
The debate reminds me of an interview I conducted over parents' weekend at the University of Notre Dame in 1989. I sat down with Theodore Hesburgh, the priest who had retired two years earlier after serving 35 years as the university's president. Graciously, he invited me to lunch at the campus inn. During our discussion, he took modest pride at having raised more than a billion dollars for Notre Dame, and expressed similar feelings about the university's ROTC program. More than 700 student-cadets were in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Few universities, public or private, had a larger percentage of students in uniform then. The school could have been renamed Fort Hesburgh.
When I suggested that Notre Dame's hosting of ROTC was a large negative among the school's many positives, Hesburgh disagreed. Notre Dame was a model of patriotism, he said, by training future officers who were churchgoers, who had taken courses in ethics, and who loved God and country. Notre Dame's ROTC program was a way to "Christianize the military," he stated firmly.
I asked if he actually believed there could be a Christian method of slaughtering people in combat, or a Christian way of firebombing cities, or a way to kill civilians in the name of Jesus. Did he think that if enough Notre Dame graduates became soldiers that the military would eventually embrace Christ's teaching of loving one's enemies?
The interview quickly slid downhill.
These days, the academic senates of the Ivies and other schools are no doubt pondering the return of military recruiters to their campuses. Meanwhile, the Pentagon, which oversees ROTC programs on more than 300 campuses, has to be asking if it wants to expand to the elite campuses, where old antipathies are remembered on both sides.
It should not be forgotten that schools have legitimate and moral reasons for keeping the military at bay, regardless of the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." They can stand with those who for reasons of conscience reject military solutions to conflicts.
They can stand with Martin Luther King Jr. and his view of America's penchant for war-making: "This madness must cease," he said from a pulpit in April 1967. Even well short of the pacifist positions, they can argue the impracticality of maintaining a military that has helped drive this country into record depths of debt. The defense budget has more than doubled since 2000, to over $700 billion. They can align themselves with colleges such as Hobart, Earlham, Goshen, Guilford, Hampshire, George Fox and a long list of others that teach alternatives to violence. Serve your country after college, these schools say, but consider the Peace Corps as well as the Marine Corps.
Will the Ivies have the courage for such stands? I'm doubtful. Only one of the eight Ivy League schools - Cornell - offers a degree in peace studies. Their pride in running programs in women's studies, black studies, and gay and lesbian studies is well-founded, but schools have small claims to greatness so long as the study of peace is not equal to the other departments when it comes to size and funding.
At Notre Dame, on that 1989 visit and several following, I learned that the ROTC academics were laughably weak. They were softie courses. The many students I interviewed were candid about their reasons for signing up: free tuition and monthly stipends, plus the guarantee of a job in the military after college. With some exceptions, they were mainly from families that couldn't afford ever-rising college tabs.
To oppose ROTC, as I have since my college days in the 1960s, when my school enticed too many of my classmates into joining, is not to be anti-soldier. I admire those who join armies, whether America's or the Taliban's: for their discipline, for their loyalty to their buddies and to their principles, for their sacrifices to be away from home. In recent years, I've had several Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans in my college classes. If only the peace movement were as populated by people of such resolve and daring.
ROTC and its warrior ethic taint the intellectual purity of a school, if by purity we mean trying to rise above the foul idea that nations can kill and destroy their way to peace. If a school such as Harvard does sell out to the military, let it at least be honest and add a sign at its Cambridge front portal: Harvard, a Pentagon Annex.
Colman McCarthy, a former Post columnist, directs the Center for Teaching Peace in Washington and teaches courses on nonviolence at four area universities and two high schools.
6. Bangor Daily News, December 30, 2010
P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329
http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/Statewide/Former-ROTC-cadet-Repeal-ends-the-lies,162755?ref=mostReadBox
Former ROTC cadet: Repeal ends the lies
By Matt Wickenheiser
For Neal Snow, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” military policy was a step forward.
President Bill Clinton initiated the policy in 1993, allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the military, as long as they remained “in the closet.” While don’t ask, don’t tell, or DADT, tacitly OK’d gays in the military, that was not the case before 1993.
Before that, military applicants had to sign forms acknowledging that they were not homosexual.
It was that form that changed Snow’s life.
In 1992, as an Air Force ROTC cadet at the University of Maine, Snow told his commanding officer he was gay, and was subsequently dismissed from the program — technically for lying on the form about his sexual orientation.
Snow publicly came out of the closet with a press conference on the steps of the university’s Memorial Union, where he talked about his dismissal from ROTC. His story made regional and national news.
“Do I wish things had been different? Absolutely. I do dream about being in the military a lot. When something is taken away from you, you do miss it. It was my peak; I was having a great time, I was doing really well,” Snow said. “Unfortunately, at the time I was coming to terms with my sexuality, and that was at odds with the policy.”
In a recent interview with the Bangor Daily News, Snow said that, at the time, he was struggling internally, while trying to show a brave face publicly and share with the public how this policy was discriminatory. “I could have easily not made it public — I could have been discharged and quietly slipped away,” said Snow, now 39. “I didn’t want to lose the opportunity to try to make a difference.”
Looking back, Snow doubts he had any real effect on the national debate over gays in the military. But, he said, it’s possible a few people heard his story and “maybe opened their eyes a little bit.”
Snow, who grew up in Sebago, joined ROTC in the second semester of his freshman year at the suggestion of a friend. He took to the military system, enjoying the efficiency of the Air Force organization and the way everyone worked as a team in a structured environment. Then, as a senior, he was in training to work on a student crisis help line. One of the presenters talked about the challenges of being a gay student, and his friends taking the training with him kept talking about how they didn’t know anyone who was gay.
Snow told them he was gay. Within a week, he came out to his commanding officer.
“It’s all about being able to live with yourself,” Snow said. “I couldn’t live with myself being quiet and hiding.”
When Clinton started DADT the following year, Snow was heartened. It meant gays could serve, and “you didn’t have to sign the form, you weren’t a liar.” Further, the policy was meant to be a transition to full and open acceptance of gays in the military. Clinton, at the time, talked about making that transition in a year.
Snow didn’t think he could reapply to the military because the core reason for his dismissal was that he lied on a form. But he knew the situation would improve for gays in the military.
“I knew it would get better later,” Snow said. “I didn’t know it would take 20 years.”
So what happened?
“We had Republicans in office, that’s what happened,” said Snow, who said he used to be registered in that party, but quit over what he saw as anti-gay stances taken in George W. Bush’s presidential bids.
First, Clinton had to contend with a Republican Congress. Then the White House was Republican for two terms. Then President Barack Obama took office, pledging to end DADT. An effort led by Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman made that a reality earlier this month.
“It’s shocking. I still don’t understand it completely,” said Snow. “’I understand that it’s the right thing — it’s just surprising it happened.” Collins and Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, were two of eight Republican senators who joined with Democrats to repeal DADT.
Snow said he never met with any of his elected officials when he was a UMaine student. Snowe was a sitting congresswoman, and was elected to the Senate in 1994. Collins was first elected in 1996.
In a statement, Collins pointed out that more than 14,000 people were discharged from the military under DADT. She called the loss of those service members “especially disturbing” at a time when the military is stretched thin.
Collins said she decided to fight for the repeal based on testimony from some of those service members, as well as on conversations she had with Chick Rauch, a retired Navy rear admiral from Glenburn, and Dugan Shipway, a retired rear admiral and former president of Bath Iron Works, “who gave me compelling first-hand knowledge that dismissing brave, dedicated, and skilled service men and women because they are gay is wrong.
“The bottom line is we should welcome the service of any qualified individual who is willing and capable of serving our country,” Collins said.
According to Collins’ office, once the president, secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that the military can function with the DADT’s repeal, former members of the military who were dismissed under the policy are eligible to re-enlist.
Snow today has been legally married to Dean Haspela for six years in Massachusetts, where he works as a professional in the retail field in Boston. He thinks the average gay person in the military just wants the change to happen quietly, without chaos.
He sees this change in the military as leading the way in society. When the military integrated blacks and whites, he said, it became a model for implementation in real society. The same thing will happen with gays serving openly, he said.
“I just want people to absorb this change, let it happen, see that the world doesn’t end,” Snow said.
_______________________________________________________________
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For the week ending 2011.01.02
Brought to you by the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. http://www.lgbtcampus.org
Archives of the QNOC Digest can be found at http://queernewsoncampus.blogspot.com
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1. The Tennessean - Belmont flap over gay coach puts professor/councilwoman in middle
2. The Bryan-College Station Eagle - Discharged Aggie tells his story
3. AnnArbor.com - University of Michigan students push for gender-neutral housing
4. The Queens Courier - Hate crime rocks Queens College club
5. The Washington Post - 'Don't ask, don't tell' has been repealed. ROTC still shouldn't be on campus.
6. Bangor Daily News - Former ROTC cadet: Repeal ends the lies
1. The Tennessean, December 25, 2010
1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101225/NEWS01/12250323/Belmont-flap-over-gay-coach-puts-professor/councilwoman-in-middle
Belmont flap over gay coach puts professor/councilwoman in middle
By Nate Rau
The controversial departure of Belmont University's women's soccer coach has prompted Metro government officials to consider an array of new policies that would extend the city's nondiscrimination policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
None of the proposals, however, have come from Metro Councilwoman Kristine LaLonde, who is a professor at the university and whose district encompasses the school near Hillsboro Village.
Potential conflicts of interest were a concern for some residents of District 18 when LaLonde ran for office nearly two years ago. LaLonde replaced Keith Durbin, who became the first openly gay elected official in the history of Tennessee.
Since the highly publicized exit of openly gay Belmont soccer coach Lisa Howe, LaLonde said she has concentrated on working in her role as a Belmont faculty member to amend the school's nondiscrimination policy. Some of LaLonde's colleagues say she has played an important role in that process. But some constituents question whether working for the university has created an impossible conflict of interest.
Howe departed from the university earlier this month and according to some of her players, she was fired because of her sexual orientation. Howe's partner is pregnant with the couple's first child. Neither the university nor Howe have said publicly what led to her departure.
The incident has brought a wave of local and national media coverage. Some city officials have responded by proposing to extend Metro's policy that prevents discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Mayor Karl Dean requested that Metro agencies that act autonomously from the city, such as the Airport Authority and the Metro Development and Housing Agency, adopt the policy.
Metro Councilmen Jamie Hollin and Mike Jameson have gone one step further. They're preparing a proposal that would require private contractors to adopt the nondiscrimination policy as well. The councilmen also have proposed rescinding the city's contract with Belmont allowing the school to use E.S. Rose Park for some of its athletics events.
Instead of pursing new policies such as these, LaLonde said she worked with Belmont's faculty senate, which announced earlier this month it supported forming a new written policy protecting gay students, faculty and staff members.
"If I were an outsider to Belmont and only had one way to influence what they do, then I would look for that one way," said LaLonde, who revealed she was going through the tenure application process with the university when the controversy unfolded. "But I'm not an outsider to Belmont."
'Conflict Of Interest'
But some politically active constituents of LaLonde's affluent district say she should have been leading on the issue.
John Green chairs the Belmont Neighborhood Advisory Group, a panel of residents that meet to discuss planning issues between the university and its surrounding community.
Green said he supported LaLonde when she ran in 2009, but now he wonders if a conflict of interest exists that makes her job as a district council member too difficult. Green pointed to the university's proposed changes to 15th Avenue South to accommodate a new law school. Some neighbors fear the proposal could take away too much parking and lead to traffic problems in the future.
"A concern I have is I think she has an awkward situation wearing two hats," Green said. "I think it creates a real question, and I'm not sure she's been able to figure it out in her own mind, too."
LaLonde Has Support
But one of LaLonde's colleagues said she handled the situation correctly by working internally to call for changes to Belmont's own policies.
"I would say that leaping forward is not always the best course of action, especially when you understand the intricacies of the way institutions work," said Belmont associate professor of English Bonnie Smith Whitehouse, who also lives in the district. "I think her choices exhibit mature, smart leadership."
She Favors Metro Idea
LaLonde, who has not announced whether she's running for re-election next year, said she supports the proposal to require city contractors to adopt Metro's nondiscrimination policy. Admitting the past few weeks have been challenging,
LaLonde said the ultimate goal is to prevent future discrimination.
LaLonde said it would be difficult to continue working at Belmont if the school's policies didn't protect gay students, faculty and staff.
"If the goal is we want everyone to be welcome and treated equally at Belmont, what is the best way for me to help Belmont get there?" LaLonde said.
"I absolutely felt like the best way for me to do this is to work as a faculty member, to hopefully set a path that we'll quickly get there."
Nate Rau can be reached at 615-259-8094 or nrau@tennessean.com.
2. The Bryan-College Station Eagle, December 26, 2010
1729 Briarcrest Drive, P.O. Box 3000, Bryan, TX 77802
http://www.theeagle.com/local/Discharged-Aggie-tells-his-story
Discharged Aggie tells his story
By Vimal Patel
Three little words threw Aggie Danny Hernandez's life into a whirl: Are you gay?
In fall 2009, as Hernandez served as a reservist in the Marine Corps while finishing his last semester at Texas A&M, the startling inquiry came from his first sergeant in Waco when the superior got word Hernandez had told others about his sexuality.
He felt all he had worked toward slipping away. He considered lying but saw a stack of papers on the sergeant's desk, the top two appearing to be handwritten witness statements.
Hernandez answered truthfully.
Raised in Paradise, Texas, Hernandez wanted to be a Marine since he was age 14. So he enrolled at one of the nation's most military friendly schools, Texas A&M, because of its Corps of Cadets.
There, he dove into Aggiedom, serving as a Fish Camp counselor and in the Corps of Cadets. He also was in the famous Aggie Band and elite Ross Volunteer Company, the Texas governor's honor guard.
While a student, the communications and sociology double major worked in the marketing and communications department and was even an Aggieland Visitor Center tour guide, walking would-be Aggies across campus and scooting VIPs in a golf cart.
"I fell in love with the school," he said.
'I was scared'
He confided in cadets at Texas A&M that he was gay, and in all his time in the Corps, an issue never arose. During his junior year, he enlisted as a reservist in the Marines.
In fall 2009, he confided in two men in his reserve unit that he was gay. One told another, Hernandez said, and word spread and reached the first sergeant, and eventually commanding officer.
"I was scared," Hernandez said. "I didn't know how to answer, and I said 'yes.' He told me he knew what I had told those two other Marines, and that he had asked them to write statements on everything I had talked to them about, and they complied. They used that as credible evidence that I had in fact told somebody."
His commanding officer, Hernandez said, informed him that he would be discharged from the military.
Weeks away from graduation, he thought his career in the military was set, so he hadn't been applying for any jobs, and now, he had nowhere to go after A&M. Also, he said, his contract had stated that the Marines would pick up his student loans, so he didn't bother applying for scholarships, but now was stuck with some $15,000 in loans.
"Everything I was planning was basically crumbling during this short period of time," Hernandez said.
And he felt alone. Though he had confided in close friends that he was gay, he was far from open. He was raised a devout Catholic and was worried family members wouldn't take it well, so he didn't tell them.
After graduation, he headed to Washington, landing work at a non-profit and eventually joining the staff of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a non-profit founded to advocate for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He's working there now as a development assistant.
'...be faithful to me'
On April 28, nine weeks after he was discharged, Hernandez wrote a letter -- reluctantly -- that was posted on the SLDN website to President Barack Obama, who had promised as a candidate to end the policy.
He wrote of his willingness to still die for the country that wouldn't allow him to serve, of his shattered dream of being an officer, of the Marine Corps motto Semper fidelis, meaning always faithful.
"I have remained faithful to my country," he concluded. "Please be faithful to me."
He was scared again after the posting.
He still hadn't told his family, but the defense network website had 150,000 hits that day, and the letter -- part of a project titled "Stories From The Front Lines: Letters to President Barack Obama" -- was carried by several media outlets.
He called home that night. His family -- he was raised by his aunt and uncle -- took the news exceptionally well and have been supportive since, he said.
"My family's biggest disappointment they voiced was they wished I was upfront with them so they could have at least been there with me as I was going through it," Hernandez said.
This month, he was in the Senate gallery as the Senate voted 65 to 31 to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, clearing the last hurdle to repeal the policy born 17 years ago when newly-elected President Bill Clinton was caught between a campaign promise to allow gays to serve in the military and an unexpected level of opposition to the idea.
"I was sitting with SLDN board members and veterans affected by the policy. I've been involved with this movement for a few months. A lot of the people I was with were involved for 17 years," Hernandez said. "It was incredibly momentous and just very emotional."
Last week, he met Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, an advocate of repeal (the last year connected him with another powerful woman, pop star Lady Gaga, who he met in D.C. and allowed him to speak before her at a September repeal rally in Maine).
"I feel like I've grown up more this past year than I have throughout the rest of my life, and I think that's all positive," Hernandez said. "But at the same time, it is an injustice. Something that I was struggling with, something that was such a small part of my life at that point, was the reason that I lost so much of what I had worked for."
He's at a crossroads, now. Plan A is to go back into the service once a pending legal matter related to his discharge is resolved, and the policy -- which remains in effect -- ends. And Plan B is law school. He took the LSAT last month and doesn't know yet how he did.
The 23-year-old's journey is one of some 14,000 stories of discharges under the policy, according to SLDN.
"People think gay, and they think effiminate, or they think not manly, or they think crazy, radical, liberal activist, and I wouldn't really consider myself any of those things," Hernandez said. "I'm a Texan, and I'm an Aggie, and I'm just like everyone else, aside from that one aspect of my life -- that I'm gay."
3. AnnArbor.com, December 28, 2010
301 E. Liberty St., Suite 700, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
http://www.annarbor.com/news/university-of-michigan-students-push-for-gender-neutral-housing/
University of Michigan students push for gender-neutral housing
By David Jesse
A proposal to allow gender-neutral housing in the University of Michigan’s residence halls is now awaiting review and action by U-M’s housing department.
A group of students formed the Open Housing Initiative and drafted a proposal, which was recently submitted to the university’s housing administrators.
Their goal is to give students — especially those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities — more choices when they pick where they want to live and with whom while going to school.
Currently, students are assigned roommates of the same gender, although the university has exceptions for transgender students.
“University Housing received the Open Housing proposal, and we appreciate the considerable effort and thought the students have put into the proposal,” housing spokesman Peter Logan said in an e-mail. “Their recommendations are being reviewed and discussed among representatives of the student group, Housing and Student Affairs, and we expect that process to continue for awhile. At this point, I am not aware of any timetable.”
The students have been working for several years on the plan and have made revisions to it over time.
The current plan offers a couple of options, said Rebecca Egler, a student working on the initiative.
The first, and preferred option, would be to allow students of different genders to room together. In that case, the students would have to cross-match, or ask to room with a specific person.
The philosophy behind that is that students themselves are best equipped to make decisions about whom they should live with, Egler said.
Making students ask for a specific person of a different gender, rather than just a generic person of a different gender, should help alleviate safety concerns, the students believe.
The other option would be to make a floor of a dorm gender-neutral. But that’s not ideal, Egler said, because students would feel like they were being set apart and not included in the overall community.
The university has some female-only housing options, but the majority of its housing options are co-ed.
The university already has a policy on gender-neutral living.
It says, “University Housing works to provide a safe, comfortable and supportive living experience for all students living in Michigan’s residential facilities. We offer gender-neutral housing that is supportive of transgender individuals.
“If you are interested in a gender-neutral room or apartment space, we ask that you contact the Housing Information Office as soon as possible. We can provide you with a personal and confidential assessment of the available options."
Egler said most students are supportive of the move.
However, it has sparked controversy before, including from alumnus Andrew Shirvell, who criticized current student body President Chris Armstrong for his support and advocacy for the change.
David Jesse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.
4. The Queens Courier, December 29, 2010
Schneps Publications, Inc., 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361
http://queenscourier.com/articles/2010/12/29/news/top_stories/doc4d10fa3b5622a772485591.txt
Hate crime rocks Queens College club
By Jano Tantongco
When Deborah Lolai first saw the messages of hate, she started bawling.
On Tuesday, December 7, homophobic messages defaced student artwork in a club for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) youth in the Student Union building at Queens College.
Lolai, president of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Alliance (GLASA), saw the words “fag,” “dyke” and others unfit for print written in her place of solace. For many LGBT students at the college, GLASA is the safe haven where they can be themselves.
“I just fell on the floor and started bawling,” said Lolai, 23. “I have never felt that sort of hatred at Queens College towards us before.”
After involving campus police, the city police were called, and the 109th Precinct’s Hate Crimes Unit responded.
Behind one of the larger paintings, the word “dyke” was fashioned with the club’s purple duct tape. Under another painting, the word “dike” was punched in with a pin, one hole at a time. Lolai speculated that the people who did this took their time to write the slurs in several media. The different spellings of the word “dyke” suggest that there were multiple individuals involved, Lolai said.
“The way whoever did this . . . makes it a lot more terrifying,” said Lolai. “Thinking about someone sitting there and poking the wall is really creepy and really scary.”
James Robinson, communication director for GLASA, initially found the words “No fags” written behind a poster that listed the club’s rules.
Trent Carroll, 18, felt physically ill at the discovery.
Carroll and Jenn Polish, another GLASA member, searched the room for more slurs.
Lolai would not have been as disturbed if the words were out in the open. Instead, they were carefully crafted, hidden behind deeply personal pieces of art. On Lolai’s oil painting depicting strength through unity, “dike” was written on the reverse side of the canvas. The painting also represented the struggle that LGBT people face, Lolai said. In dealing with her identity, she said she was hospitalized for a year in high school, suffering from anorexia and bulimia.
“Those are the words – ‘fag,’ ‘dyke’ and ‘tranny’ – they’re the last words that people hear when they’re beaten to death,” said Lolai.
City Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer, himself an openly gay man, condemned the vandalism.
“Sadly, tragically, there are still ignorant people in the world,” said Van Bramer.
Calling GLASA a “very strong, visible LGBT student group,” Van Bramer asked QC students to stand against the hate.
President of QC James L. Muyskens stated that the college does not tolerate homophobia or any kind of harassment.
“I assure you that anyone found to have committed such acts on our campus will be held accountable. The tragic rash of suicides nationwide by gay youth who have been bullied is a call to action to all of us to make sure that this kind of conduct ends,” Muyskens wrote.
Lolai said that there is usually someone in the office. Most of the club members left the space to host the AIDS quilt that came to the college on Wednesday, December 1, which was also World AIDS Day. She believes the perpetrators would have had an opening at that time.
There are several security cameras in the basement of the building, where the clubs are situated. However, there are none in the area where GLASA’s space was located. Since the incident, GLASA has moved to a new room.
5. The Washington Post, December 30, 2010
1150 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20071
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/29/AR2010122903033.html
'Don't ask, don't tell' has been repealed. ROTC still shouldn't be on campus.
By Colman McCarthy
Now that asking and telling has ceased to be problematic in military circles, ROTC has resurfaced as a national issue: Will universities such as Harvard, Yale and other Ivy League schools be opened to Reserve Officers' Training Corps since colleges can no longer can argue that the military is biased against gays and therefore not welcome?
The debate reminds me of an interview I conducted over parents' weekend at the University of Notre Dame in 1989. I sat down with Theodore Hesburgh, the priest who had retired two years earlier after serving 35 years as the university's president. Graciously, he invited me to lunch at the campus inn. During our discussion, he took modest pride at having raised more than a billion dollars for Notre Dame, and expressed similar feelings about the university's ROTC program. More than 700 student-cadets were in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Few universities, public or private, had a larger percentage of students in uniform then. The school could have been renamed Fort Hesburgh.
When I suggested that Notre Dame's hosting of ROTC was a large negative among the school's many positives, Hesburgh disagreed. Notre Dame was a model of patriotism, he said, by training future officers who were churchgoers, who had taken courses in ethics, and who loved God and country. Notre Dame's ROTC program was a way to "Christianize the military," he stated firmly.
I asked if he actually believed there could be a Christian method of slaughtering people in combat, or a Christian way of firebombing cities, or a way to kill civilians in the name of Jesus. Did he think that if enough Notre Dame graduates became soldiers that the military would eventually embrace Christ's teaching of loving one's enemies?
The interview quickly slid downhill.
These days, the academic senates of the Ivies and other schools are no doubt pondering the return of military recruiters to their campuses. Meanwhile, the Pentagon, which oversees ROTC programs on more than 300 campuses, has to be asking if it wants to expand to the elite campuses, where old antipathies are remembered on both sides.
It should not be forgotten that schools have legitimate and moral reasons for keeping the military at bay, regardless of the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." They can stand with those who for reasons of conscience reject military solutions to conflicts.
They can stand with Martin Luther King Jr. and his view of America's penchant for war-making: "This madness must cease," he said from a pulpit in April 1967. Even well short of the pacifist positions, they can argue the impracticality of maintaining a military that has helped drive this country into record depths of debt. The defense budget has more than doubled since 2000, to over $700 billion. They can align themselves with colleges such as Hobart, Earlham, Goshen, Guilford, Hampshire, George Fox and a long list of others that teach alternatives to violence. Serve your country after college, these schools say, but consider the Peace Corps as well as the Marine Corps.
Will the Ivies have the courage for such stands? I'm doubtful. Only one of the eight Ivy League schools - Cornell - offers a degree in peace studies. Their pride in running programs in women's studies, black studies, and gay and lesbian studies is well-founded, but schools have small claims to greatness so long as the study of peace is not equal to the other departments when it comes to size and funding.
At Notre Dame, on that 1989 visit and several following, I learned that the ROTC academics were laughably weak. They were softie courses. The many students I interviewed were candid about their reasons for signing up: free tuition and monthly stipends, plus the guarantee of a job in the military after college. With some exceptions, they were mainly from families that couldn't afford ever-rising college tabs.
To oppose ROTC, as I have since my college days in the 1960s, when my school enticed too many of my classmates into joining, is not to be anti-soldier. I admire those who join armies, whether America's or the Taliban's: for their discipline, for their loyalty to their buddies and to their principles, for their sacrifices to be away from home. In recent years, I've had several Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans in my college classes. If only the peace movement were as populated by people of such resolve and daring.
ROTC and its warrior ethic taint the intellectual purity of a school, if by purity we mean trying to rise above the foul idea that nations can kill and destroy their way to peace. If a school such as Harvard does sell out to the military, let it at least be honest and add a sign at its Cambridge front portal: Harvard, a Pentagon Annex.
Colman McCarthy, a former Post columnist, directs the Center for Teaching Peace in Washington and teaches courses on nonviolence at four area universities and two high schools.
6. Bangor Daily News, December 30, 2010
P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329
http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/Statewide/Former-ROTC-cadet-Repeal-ends-the-lies,162755?ref=mostReadBox
Former ROTC cadet: Repeal ends the lies
By Matt Wickenheiser
For Neal Snow, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” military policy was a step forward.
President Bill Clinton initiated the policy in 1993, allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the military, as long as they remained “in the closet.” While don’t ask, don’t tell, or DADT, tacitly OK’d gays in the military, that was not the case before 1993.
Before that, military applicants had to sign forms acknowledging that they were not homosexual.
It was that form that changed Snow’s life.
In 1992, as an Air Force ROTC cadet at the University of Maine, Snow told his commanding officer he was gay, and was subsequently dismissed from the program — technically for lying on the form about his sexual orientation.
Snow publicly came out of the closet with a press conference on the steps of the university’s Memorial Union, where he talked about his dismissal from ROTC. His story made regional and national news.
“Do I wish things had been different? Absolutely. I do dream about being in the military a lot. When something is taken away from you, you do miss it. It was my peak; I was having a great time, I was doing really well,” Snow said. “Unfortunately, at the time I was coming to terms with my sexuality, and that was at odds with the policy.”
In a recent interview with the Bangor Daily News, Snow said that, at the time, he was struggling internally, while trying to show a brave face publicly and share with the public how this policy was discriminatory. “I could have easily not made it public — I could have been discharged and quietly slipped away,” said Snow, now 39. “I didn’t want to lose the opportunity to try to make a difference.”
Looking back, Snow doubts he had any real effect on the national debate over gays in the military. But, he said, it’s possible a few people heard his story and “maybe opened their eyes a little bit.”
Snow, who grew up in Sebago, joined ROTC in the second semester of his freshman year at the suggestion of a friend. He took to the military system, enjoying the efficiency of the Air Force organization and the way everyone worked as a team in a structured environment. Then, as a senior, he was in training to work on a student crisis help line. One of the presenters talked about the challenges of being a gay student, and his friends taking the training with him kept talking about how they didn’t know anyone who was gay.
Snow told them he was gay. Within a week, he came out to his commanding officer.
“It’s all about being able to live with yourself,” Snow said. “I couldn’t live with myself being quiet and hiding.”
When Clinton started DADT the following year, Snow was heartened. It meant gays could serve, and “you didn’t have to sign the form, you weren’t a liar.” Further, the policy was meant to be a transition to full and open acceptance of gays in the military. Clinton, at the time, talked about making that transition in a year.
Snow didn’t think he could reapply to the military because the core reason for his dismissal was that he lied on a form. But he knew the situation would improve for gays in the military.
“I knew it would get better later,” Snow said. “I didn’t know it would take 20 years.”
So what happened?
“We had Republicans in office, that’s what happened,” said Snow, who said he used to be registered in that party, but quit over what he saw as anti-gay stances taken in George W. Bush’s presidential bids.
First, Clinton had to contend with a Republican Congress. Then the White House was Republican for two terms. Then President Barack Obama took office, pledging to end DADT. An effort led by Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman made that a reality earlier this month.
“It’s shocking. I still don’t understand it completely,” said Snow. “’I understand that it’s the right thing — it’s just surprising it happened.” Collins and Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, were two of eight Republican senators who joined with Democrats to repeal DADT.
Snow said he never met with any of his elected officials when he was a UMaine student. Snowe was a sitting congresswoman, and was elected to the Senate in 1994. Collins was first elected in 1996.
In a statement, Collins pointed out that more than 14,000 people were discharged from the military under DADT. She called the loss of those service members “especially disturbing” at a time when the military is stretched thin.
Collins said she decided to fight for the repeal based on testimony from some of those service members, as well as on conversations she had with Chick Rauch, a retired Navy rear admiral from Glenburn, and Dugan Shipway, a retired rear admiral and former president of Bath Iron Works, “who gave me compelling first-hand knowledge that dismissing brave, dedicated, and skilled service men and women because they are gay is wrong.
“The bottom line is we should welcome the service of any qualified individual who is willing and capable of serving our country,” Collins said.
According to Collins’ office, once the president, secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that the military can function with the DADT’s repeal, former members of the military who were dismissed under the policy are eligible to re-enlist.
Snow today has been legally married to Dean Haspela for six years in Massachusetts, where he works as a professional in the retail field in Boston. He thinks the average gay person in the military just wants the change to happen quietly, without chaos.
He sees this change in the military as leading the way in society. When the military integrated blacks and whites, he said, it became a model for implementation in real society. The same thing will happen with gays serving openly, he said.
“I just want people to absorb this change, let it happen, see that the world doesn’t end,” Snow said.
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