2008 Woodie Awards
GLBT space will include Una
Kate Bartlett
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: News
Both Rainbow Alliance (Saint Louis University's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender support group) and Una (SLU's feminist organization), are gearing up to start taking a proposal for their own space on campus from paper to reality. The proposal has evolved from what was originally proposed to be solely Rainbow Alliance's GLBT resource center; instead, it will open first as a meeting space for Rainbow Alliance, and it will be split with Una.
"The proposed GLBT Center is to take root in what is currently the Chartwells office, next to the mail room on the east side of the Busch Student Center," said Andrew Clifton, Student Government Association president.
According to Kent Porterfield, Ed.D., vice president of student development, "[It] is the space that would be most visible and accommodating for the two organizations that we currently have available."
In terms of how the space will take shape, Clifton explained that the project would happen in two phases.
"Phase one will give office space to the Rainbow Alliance and Una," Clifton said, adding that it is intended to serve as a foundation for building the remainder of the center.
"The two offices will be an expansion of the Cross Cultural Center," he said.
The second phase will allow the space to step up the sort of services it will offer.
"Phase two will involve providing resources for students," Clifton said. "We are going to get a graduate assistant [to help us] with [event] programming. A committee of faculty and students will work together to add gender and sexual identity into the diversity equation." He also said that the details are still being ironed out.
Porterfield agreed with Clifton.
"One way we're trying to respond is to create more space for both organizations and to give them space that may be used to give students support," Porterfield said. "We're taking a step now, and I don't know what will happen down the road, but I think it's an important step at present."
"The proposed GLBT Center is to take root in what is currently the Chartwells office, next to the mail room on the east side of the Busch Student Center," said Andrew Clifton, Student Government Association president.
According to Kent Porterfield, Ed.D., vice president of student development, "[It] is the space that would be most visible and accommodating for the two organizations that we currently have available."
In terms of how the space will take shape, Clifton explained that the project would happen in two phases.
"Phase one will give office space to the Rainbow Alliance and Una," Clifton said, adding that it is intended to serve as a foundation for building the remainder of the center.
"The two offices will be an expansion of the Cross Cultural Center," he said.
The second phase will allow the space to step up the sort of services it will offer.
"Phase two will involve providing resources for students," Clifton said. "We are going to get a graduate assistant [to help us] with [event] programming. A committee of faculty and students will work together to add gender and sexual identity into the diversity equation." He also said that the details are still being ironed out.
Porterfield agreed with Clifton.
"One way we're trying to respond is to create more space for both organizations and to give them space that may be used to give students support," Porterfield said. "We're taking a step now, and I don't know what will happen down the road, but I think it's an important step at present."
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