LGBT Minutes

Minutes
LGBT Concerns Committee
Jewish Studies Conference Room, Walker Hall
January 23, 2003, 2:00 - 3:30

Members Present: Alex Alonso, Kendal Broad, Steven Detweiler, Kitty Fallon, Scott Feldman, Carlos Hermandez, Linda Lamme, Jeanna Mastrodicaso, Orit Shechtman, Ken Wald

UF Foundation
Julie Kurtz, Professional Development Officer for Students Services talked with us about how we might go about obtaining a UF Foundation account. She explained how an endowed fund must hold $20,000 and earns 5% interest, which your group can spend. Un-endowed funds can be for any amount and you can spend any amount, but then, of course, it is gone. The Foundation also has an on-line giving website and we could put our fund under Student Affairs at that site.
We decided to put out a call to alumni that we know about - please everyone send alumni names and contact addresses to Jeanna (jmastro@ss.ufl.edu)
Jeana will create a flyer for the Preview Alumni conference with a letter explaining our goal of having an endowed fund with UFF. The purpose of this fund would be to provide awards to students for LGBT service and research and to work toward funding an LGBT Resource Center with a director.
We decided to try to get coverage of our awards ceremony this year and send that information plus news about our goal of obtaining an endowed fund in the Alumni Magazine.
Charles is going to contact some former alumni.

LGBT Student Affairs
Alex reported that he met with Ron Schoenau of NERDC and Mark Trammel about obtaining an LGBT.ufl.edu website. There is now an LGBT.ufl.edu site that directly links to the informational webpage that Mike established. There was discussion about what to do when Mike graduates and the decision was made to work through the webmaster at student services.
Alex reported that there is a Campus Climate Forum at Reitz Union at 7 PM on Jan. 23 and that there was LGBT representation on that panel.

Gator Gay Straight Alliance
We are pleased to announce that Scott won a Presidential Humanitarian Award for his work for the Gator Gay Straight Alliance!
Scott distributed a written report of all of their activity. The same-sex hand-holding day received a great deal of publicity nationally and he and Mike have been contacted about helping at other campuses to promote such activity. Scott circulated photos of folks walking across campus holding hands, including him and Dean Zdziarski!
Other activities of GSA include:
… selling shirts and buttons (I am comfortable with my sexuality - are you?) scott@gatorgsa.org
… RA training/Greek Training (scott@gatorgsa.org)
… Valentine's Day "All love is beautiful" display at Turlington - they are collecting pictures of any kind of love. Email Brooks@gatorgsa.org
… In March they hope to bring the musical act BitchandAnimal (.com) to campus. They focus on women's issues and homophobia issues.
… High School Project (contact Kat@gatorgsa.org).

Pride Student Union - No report
Rainbow Alliance - No report
Committee on Sexism and Homophobia - John reported that there is nothing special to report at this time.

LGBT Award Fund
Kim has prepared material to advertise the scholarship (now called the award). We will add an announcement about how to contribute to the fund with the award information. That information should go out this week to the websites of the Committee on Sexism and Homophobia, GSA, and Alligator.
We are not sure how much money is in the fund at the moment. The Rainbow Alliance was going to take the leadership in soliciting funds for the award fund.
Kim will ask last year's winners if they will write a brief summary of what they did for their awards for the website (and maybe for the Alumni Magazine announcement) - and attend this year's formal presentation of awards.
The subcommittee will try to get someone to take pictures for the website and Alumni Magazine as well.

Digest Article by Assistant Provost, Dr. Joe Glover
The article on how to report LGBT harassment has STILL not appeared in the Digest. John reported that it is still in the General Counsel's office and that he will talk with the General Counsel about it this week. Committee members expressed dismay that Dr. Glover asked us to write the piece in September but has not yet sent it out for publication.

Campus Survey
Ken reported that the results of the survey have reached the committee, which should be issuing a report to the campus community soon.

Nondiscrimination Clause and Partner Benefits
Kitty showed a huge notebook of information she has complied to update President Young at our next meeting. Alex will provide her with information about how the students acquired a nondiscrimination policy and partner benefits at the Infirmary. She is seeking information on the process of obtaining these rights and specifics about how to best provide these rights on our campus. Anyone with further information contact Kitty at kmf451@ufl.edu

Special note from Linda. Please check out our committee website and if any information is incorrect on the chart, send me the corrections so that I can forward them to the webmaster. Thank you.

Future Meetings
Wednesday, February 20, 2:00 - 3:30 President's Boardroom in Tigert Hall
Wednesday, March 20, 2:00 - 3:30 Jewish Studies Conference Room in Walker Hall
Wednesday, April 10. 2:00 - 3:30 Jewish Studies Conference Room in Walker Hall