Student Union Senate passed a resolution on Jan. 20 urging the creation of a resource center for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning/queer, and ally (GLBTQA) community. The center would overlook all four GLBTQA groups on campus and provide a long-term support network that would remain active even through changes in student groups. The new coordinator would provide not only a liaison between student groups and administration but would also reach out to the wider community to provide a long-term support center.

The proposition also called for “the creation and maintenance of a GLBTQA resource center with appropriate staff” as well as “the creation of a University Task Force to investigate GLBTQA issues.”

According to senior Marc Bridge, speaker of SU Senate, the proposition was passed by the Senate without opposition.

Senator Abram Rose introduced the resolution after meeting with representatives of GLBTQA groups on campus. The students told him about a problem they had noticed: when group members graduated, there was no one to continue their projects.

“This is something that could act independently, so that even when someone leaves, there will be continuity,” said Rose.

Now that SU has passed the resolution, Rose said the groups are waiting for the administration to make a move.

“At any point, the faculty can say, ‘We’re not going to do this.’ Right now the ball is primarily on the court of the faculty,” said Rose. “We’re hoping they decide to get started right away.”

Senior Kerry Chaplin, president of Keshet Jewish GLBTQA group, said that the new coordinator position would address needs not already addressed by current GLBT groups.

“Spectrum serves a more social purpose and Safe Zones is more educational, but this would cover all the administrative areas of the university that would be very hard for student groups to go to,” said Chaplin. “For example, if a student were to have a breakdown or GLBTQA emergency, health services redirects people to WUPD, so we need to train them how to handle such a student. No one group can go to all GLBTQA services, while communicating with the chancellor’s office and career services simultaneously.”

The leaders of GLBTQA organizations felt that other campuses around the nation had already successfully established a full time GLBTQA support network.

“We currently have very few resources for closeted students. Hopefully, I can see [the GLBT coordinator] stretching into different areas of the University that we can’t access” said Chaplin.

Senior Daria Pelech, one of the Safe Zones directors, added that “Residential life, Student Health Services, and Student Admissions don’t have enough support staff to field GLBT questions and that is not acceptable.”

A new center will also help make resources more noticeable to students, says Freshman Brandon Menke, international relations officer of Spectrum Alliance.

“I think that an addition of an appropriately staffed resource center will bring greater visibility to the cause,” said Menke. “It would show prospective students that there is a system of support at Wash U, whereas before that was not apparent.”

When asked about the potential use of OSA funds for hiring a paid coordinator, Junior Ross Eppelheimer said, “I believe any sort of consolidation of these [GLBTQA] student groups is beneficial.”

There is still work to be done and much of the proposed resource center is still under planning. A task force was tentatively created to scope out the needs of the GLBTQA community and the proposition will be passed to James McLeod, dean of students, later this month for consideration.

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