Meeting Held: December 9, 2004, Jewish Studies Conference Room, Walker Hall, 1 pm
Next meeting tentatively scheduled for January 24 at 3 pm
Committee Web site: http://www.aa.ufl.edu/committees/lgbtcc.htm
In Attendance: Linda Lamme,
chair
Greg Allen, staff; Vice President, Rainbow Alliance
Allison Andrews, President, Pride Student Union
Charles Brown, staff; President, Rainbow Alliance
Kimberly Browne, staff
Tamara Cohen, staff' Coordinator for LGBT Affairs
Brian Davis, LGB Student Cabinet
Joyce Dewsbury, staff
Geoffrey Giles, faculty
Carlos Hernandez, staff
Kristin Joos, staff
Jonathan Keane, President, Gator Gay-Straight Alliance
Gwynn Kessler, faculty
Diane Mazur, staff
Mike McWorty, student
Jessica Watkins, student
Ken Wells, staff
Ben Witten, student
Minutes form the November 11, 2004 meeting were accepted without comment.
1. Pride Student Union – Allison Andrews
Upcoming Events — Ruthie and Connie: Two West Palm Beach retirees and current litigants against the State of Florida for blocking their ability to receive a marriage license. Their marriage and non-legal wedding at a gay synagogue are the subject of a documentary called"Ruthie and Connie: Every Room in the House" was featured on HBO and won 13 awards at film festivals across the world. A showing of the documentary with a speech by Ruthie and Connie to follow is tentatively scheduled for January 24 at the Reitz Union. — Also tentatively scheduled for January 24 is an event on the Rietz Union North Lawn in which phones will be provided for students to call their senators and representatives. Phone companies are being contacted for donated time and phones. — For Pride Awareness Month in April 2005: Author Riki Wilchins conducts a "gender tour" in which participants discuss gender stereotypes and ways to combat them. Scheduled for Monday, April4 in the Reitz Union Ballroom. — Planning is underway for a Women's Leadership Retreat. — An LGBTQ retreat is being considered.
Committee Work — SG Diversity Training: Many Student Government senators and officials never attend the events they provide funds for. This training will give them the diversity training they need to represent their constituents. — Language Training: Training that teaches people about how language affects others even when we don;t know it. — Mission Statement Committee: Working on creating a statement that focuses our direction. — New Committees: Diversity Outreach Committee and Straight Ally Committee.
Ideas — Alumni Committee; LGBT Research Outreach; LGBT Major; Research on whether a center is needed for students; Resources.
2. Gator Gay-Straight Alliance – Jonathan Keane
Keane reported that GGSA had conducted a Hate Crimes Awareness event in connection with Transgender Remembrance Day. He also said that GGSA is currently undergoing a restructuring, the goal of which is provoke more creativity and attract new members. The GGSA Web site has recently been redesigned.
Gator Gay Straight Alliance: Hate Crimes Awareness event, Transgender Remembrance Day, 2004 (copy from the GGSA Web site: <http://grove.ufl.edu/~ggsa/>): "On November 19th and November 20th, 2004, the Gator Gay-Straight Alliance held an event to remember Transgendered individuals who have died or been killed. After a few meetings, we came up with the idea of putting out body outlines, white with a black outline, and each with a story of one transgendered person's death. Since the official Transgender Remembrance Day was Saturday, November 20th, we tabled the Thursday and Friday before that, in the hopes of both advocating for and remembering those who have been killed. We decided to make ten outlines and put them at our tabling locations. We started tabling in Turlington and then brought some of our outlines to other tabling locations such as the Reitz Union Colonnade. We also flyered during the day those two days. We had many people come up to our table to express their support for the cause. We also saw people step, stand, drive, and bike over the outlines as well. In future events of this kind, we hope to find even more effective ways to get involved in Transgender Remembrance Day. See our Transgender Remembrance Day page for more, including pictures."
3. LGB Student Affairs Cabinet – Brian Davis
Davis stated that his office participated in Transgender Awareness Day. He is working on non-gender-specific housing options which he hopes will be piloted in fall 005.
4. Rainbow Alliance – Charles Brown
Brown told of several recent events connected with alumni development, including a meeting between Allison Andrews, Tamara Cohen, and Randy Talbot, a meeting between Chris Bullins and Randy Talbot, and an enthusiastic letter from alumna Kim Byrd of Tampa. Brown further explained plans to create a committee of interested persons that can help facilitate formation of an LGBTA alumni club.
The committee also discussed plans for an LGBTA reception to be held in late January. Brown agreed to reserve the Keene Faculty Center for January 27, assuming it is available. Sponsorship of this event was discussed. Lamme reported that Debra Walker King had said that she had no money to support such an event, and suggested that administration sponsorship would be very valuable. Andrews suggested that local sponsors might be willing to participate. Cohen suggested that deans might cosponsor the event. Hernandez suggested to try the provost's office. Joos suggested that Kim Emery, head of the faculty union, might be willing to sponsor.
5. Friends Program — Tamara Cohen
Cohen introduced Ben Witten, a graduate student who is funded for the spring semester to assist her. Witten's main responsibility will be to work on the Friends program. He has formed a preliminary committee of students to explore goals for the program. He then plans to expand the committee with faculty and staff.
6. Director for LGBT Affairs – Tamara Cohen
Cohen reported on participation of her office in the Intercollegiate Conference coordinated by PSU in November. The three-day event attracted 80 participants from six Florida universities.
Cohen reported on progress with Domestic Partner Benefits. She stated that President Machen had originally planned to present a plan for these benefits to the Board of Trustees in December, but postponed to February. At this point, no insurance company has yet signed on to provide the benefits. Cohen and others met with Ed Poppell in early November. Work continues on drafting the affidavit partners would supply to obtain the insurance. Three insurance companies have expressed interest in providing insurance. Shands is also preparing to offer Domestic Partner Benefits. It has not been finally decided whether UF benefits will be offered only for same-sex partners, but that was the strong inclination of the committee. Cohen stated that usually same-sex couple amount to about 0.5%; when same-sex and opposite-sex couples are added, the number is about 3%.
Cohen reported briefly on her meeting with Randy Talbot about alumni matters. The Alumni Association announced Cohen's new position in their e-mail newsletter. Cohen received about ten e-mail messages as a result, most of which were postitive.
With regard to anonymous reporting, which has been in the works for some time, Cohen reported that it will soon be available. She said that there was still a decision to be made as to whether the reporting would be for all categories of discrimination or for sexual orientation only.
Cohen reported that Lavender Graduation might be held jointly with the Hispanic Student Association and the Asian Student Union. Both organizations have indicated their willingness to hold a combined event. HSA and ASU hold events in spring and fall. So far, Lavender Graduation has been held only in the spring.
Cohen has conducted a number of training events, and she stated that more are being requested. Among those who have received training or requested it, she listed Student Health Care, Housing, and the Women's Leadership Conference.
Hernandez expressed the committee's appreciation for Cohen's effectiveness in her position.
1. Rainbow Alliance Research and Service Awards — Geoffrey Giles
Giles agreed to chair this committee and reported that it has not met. He felt that requirements for the award were "fluffy" and should be reviewed. Kessler indicated that Amanda(?) might have notes from last year's committee and award process.
2. Transgender Support Committee – Carlos Hernandez
Discussion concerned a transgender resource page that Kendal Broad created a couple of years ago and what service are being offered for transgender persons.
1. Procedure for Dealing with Harassment and Discrimination
Brown and Lamme reported on progress in the case of an IFAS faculty member who is trying to move a claim of discrimination forward. Currently there is no process for handling such claims. The faculty member contacted Debra Walker King, met with her and sent materials. King indicated that she would explore the matter through informal conversations with the Provost. With a couple of weeks she sent a letter to the faculty member indicating that "her office" could find no basis for a claim of discrimination. The faculty member's next option would be to meet with President Machen or to wait for the arrival of the new Vice President for Human Resources. Machen has indicated that one reason for appointing the new VP is to have a place for all discrimination claims to be made. Some committee members asked whether any LGBT faculty or staff would be present during the interview process for this new VP.
2. University of Florida Community Campaign and the Boy Scouts
Lamme agreed to ask John Laibson about his work on this issue some time ago. It was suggested that the committee might look into how to get Scouting For All listed in the UF Community Campaign.4
3. Incidents of Homophobia
This was not an agenda item but was raised by Giles. He said that it was appropriate for the committee to be informed of all such incidents.
Cohen stated that in a training for freshmen athletes, the trainer spoke about Matthew Shepherd. One of the athletes apparently made a remark to the effect that "he got what he deserved." Cohen indicated that the trainer did not really respond to the remark.
Cohen also talked about the case of resident assistant who has been extensively harassed by the men in his residence hall.
4. Other Items
Hernandez talked about the training that was offered to UF coaches and trainers in response to the lawsuit brought by Andrea Zimbardi.
Dewsbury talked about the Interweave Group, a support group that meets monthly at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation on 34th Street.
Dewsbury reported that she sent out an e-mail to library staff to ask about LGBT acquisitions. She said that John van (?) had been ordering books on LGBT issues, but not as a formal library activity. She also said that several library staff did not know what "LGBT: meant. She said that Dale Canelas, head of the library, would be willing to meet with the committee and might bring John Ingram.
Minutes prepared by Charles Brown.