LGBT
group appeals to A.S. Senate for support
By
Gerry Wachovsky
On-line Forty-Niner
A
group of gay and lesbian students urged
the A.S. Senate Wednesday to help to provide
more support for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual
Transgender Resource Center through various
means including programs and events.
Brian
Stires, press secretary for A.S., said that
the center would like the Senate to "commit
to increase awareness and promote a safe
atmosphere on LGBT issues through logistical,
political, funding and administrative support."
Stires also categorized this problem of
overlooking LGBT issues as "systemic"
and asked for "long term support"
from the Senate.
Stires
also suggested a "Safe Zone Program,"
which would entail stickers to be placed
on doors of professors who would be open
to talk about issues of this nature to LGBT
students who may be hesitant or scared to
ask for advice.
Emmy
Gonzalez, president's chairwoman for LGBT
affairs said that when she arrived at campus
from UC Davis, she found herself "in
shock because the center here was hidden
and run-down." She also noted that
UC Davis has a "fully-functioning LGBT
center," with "magazines, books,
movies, professional and peer counseling,"
elements which encouraged her to 'come out.'
Julio
Lopez, the program coordinator of the LGBT
center, urged the "imperative"
nature of having a campus community that
promotes a safe atmosphere for LGBT students.
He, along with his constituents from the
center, feels that LGBT students are neglected
and constitute an "invisible populace
of this campus."
Another
reason LGBT students say they are hesitant
to 'come out' stems from discrimination
not only from the world, but also from the
campus community. Last semester LGBT students
posted a flyer in the multicultural center,
only to have it vandalized with derogatory
epithets and slurs. Additionally, at a recent
LGBT Nugget event, a small group of students
made derogatory comments, making some of
the attendees feel uncomfortable. The members
from the center spoke of one student who
commented to them that because of this incident,
she was afraid to even approach the group
at The Nugget.
Jeanne
Caveness from Student Life & Development
commended the LGBT students for coming in
front of the Senate and sharing their stories.
Mike Hostetler, dean of students, expressed
his support for the LGBT students and noted
that "people on this campus do care."
He also praised Long Beach for being the
"second largest gay-bisexual friendly
city short of San Francisco," and said
in his time here, the center has done a
"great job" despite little help
from the campus and minute funding.
In
other news, David McKay, a mathematics professor,
gave a presentation to the Senate on course
curriculum policies. "I just feel that
the math textbooks being used today are
too large, are too expensive, and cover
too much," McKay said. He also noted
that there is a problem with department
chairs using syllabi to evaluate teachers
during tenure reviews.
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