VCU LGBT Subcommittee April 20, 2010
Attending: Kathy Ingram, Erica Lennon, Claire Gastanaga, Cameron Hunt, Joseph Blanton, Randi Buerlein, Marian Jones, Jan Altman, Jeff Wing, Cristina Ramirez, Marianne Miller, Dorothy Fillmore, Donna Coghill
Pre-meeting discussion, Jeff brought copies of two OMSA Graduate Assistant positions. Donna will post these to Facebook and the listserv.
Jeff called the meeting to order at 12:05pm.
Equity and Diversity E&D discussed the letter to President Rao, which has been approved to be signed by both E&D and the LGBT Subcommittee. Donna will email a copy to the listserv.
E&D also discussed the Climate Assessment Survey. Questions arose regarding privacy, data collection and access, etc. There is an option to have the results be public or private. LGBT members feel Rao and Turnage would be open to receiving this type of information. The Subcommittee will look at adding an item regarding this survey to our suggested steps for Wayne Turnage.
Other E&D agenda items were finishing the last two Diversity Plan goals, completing the plan with the BOV at the May meeting.
Burnside-Watstein LGBT Awards The reception was well attended. President Rao offered valuable comments to those present. Jeff will follow up on whether we can post the full video. For next year, we should have nametags and ribbons for prior recipients. We will plan the 2011 event to accommodate Chris Burnside and Sarah Watstein schedules.
Equality Virginia & Queer Action updates Claire reports that EV & QA are holding a rally at Capital Square on Wednesday, 4/21. Donna will post information to Facebook and the listserv.
Cameron reports that the SGA passed Resolution 11 with “Gender Identity.”
EV and QA asked Wayne Turnage if Dr. Rao would take a leadership role regarding LGBT issues with all academic Presidents in Virginia. EV noted that when Michigan universities put into place Plus 1 benefits as a group, it was not challenged; those institutions are different from VA because many of them are constitutionally established as a fourth branch of government. Meeting with Wayne Turnage & the LGBT Executive Committee Jeff, Cristina, Dorothy, Marianne and Donna met with Wayne Turnage to discuss the LGBT Subcommittee, history, current status, etc. They will provide Mr. Turnage a list of suggested steps for VCU, focusing on items that will address the Diversity Plan. The request was made for University leadership to bring these types of items to the BOV, in particular regarding the items addressed in the AG letter, and to reaffirm our policies.
The LGBT Executive Committee will be meeting with Mr. Turnage regularly.
Other Business Liz Cramer needs replacement for Network VA Advisory Board; Donna offered to touch base with Liz and take this post for VCU.
Next Meeting: 12:00 p.m. May 18, 2010 (Note, location change due to conflict with the Alumni House) TEMPORARY LOCATION: University Student Commons, Virginia Room C
Meetings are the third Tuesday of each month.
DEC 042010