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GLFSA Year-End Report: 1996-97

 Compiled by: Sally McWilliams, Co-Chair

Background:

GLFSA came into existence during the 1995-96 academic year as a campus support and educational outreach group for MSU faculty, staff and administrators. In our first year we prepared and presented the first annual celebration of National Coming Out Day on campus; established contact with the President's Office; co-sponsored a film/video series with the student group PRI and assisted with the development and presentation of a gay-themed skit at New Student Orientation.

Mission Statement:

In 1996-97 we adopted the following mission statement as a way to formalize our purpose and to share this information with the campus community.

We represent the diverse community of Gay and Lesbian persons of MSU faculty and staff. One mission of MSU is to establish a community where diversity is welcomed, encouraged, and supported. Lesbian and Gay individuals are part of that diversity. There is a need to foster understanding through education and outreach about the lives and concerns of Gays and Lesbians in order to reduce fear, prejudice, and discrimination. Recognizing this need, the GAY AND LESBIAN FACULTY AND STAFF ASSOCIATION seeks to:

Membership:

GLFSA decided to institute an annual membership fee of $25 to be collected at the beginning of each academic year. An on-campus account was opened under the group's name for financial transactions. Financial records are available from Sally McWilliams, co-chair.

Projects/Affiliations:

  1. In the interest of networking with other gay/lesbian organizations, GLFSA joined the New Jersey Lesbian and Gay Coalition [NJLGC] as a non-voting group member.

  2. Letter writing: Carla Petievich drafted a response to Senators Bradley and Lautenberg expressing our concern about their negative votes on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

  3. Safe Place Program: Elaine Fine and Sally McWilliams began work on the development of a Safe Place Program on campus. Their work has involved gathering information from other schools that have already instituted such a program; gaining support from MSU administrators and faculty; planning for the introduction of the program during the NCOD events scheduled for October 1997.

  4. Survey: Myrna Danzig volunteered to design a survey that would allow us to see what sorts of curriculum resources and support services we can provide to MSU faculty.

  5. Domestic Partnership Subcommittee: This subcommittee, chaired by Gil Zicklin and Carla Petievich, formed to express our views on legislation that may adversely affect our lives. Letter writing and petitions are planned projects for the future.

  6. General Education Revision: At the recommendation of Elaine Fine, GLFSA responded to the General Education Committee regarding the need for the inclusion of sexual and affectional orientation in any discussion of diversity.

  7. Gay-related Feature Film listing: Hunter Jones prepared a gay-related feature film listing available at the non-print media desk at Sprague Library. [see attached listing]

  8. "Our Quarterly" Profile: Responding to a request from the publisher of "Our Quarterly," Sally provided a profile piece about GLFSA which should be published in the June/July issue of the magazine.

  9. NJLGC brochure: Responding to a request from the NJLGC, Sally provided a background piece on GLFSA for inclusion in a directory on g/l/b/t-positive campuses in New Jersey.

  10. OWLS training: Mark Koppel, Sally McWilliams and Greg Geiger were invited speakers to the Orientation Workshop Leaders Training for the upcoming summer New Student Orientation. They spoke on the importance of gay/ lesbian/ bisexual/ transgender inclusion on campus for incoming students.

Campus Events

  1. 2nd Annual National Coming Out Day celebration, 10/10/96 (dedicated to Tom Veenendall): included flag raising ceremony with special guest speaker Pat Hewitt, VP for Business & Finance; reading of the President's proclamation on diversity; panel of invited guest speakers with moderator to discuss issues of coming out.

  2. "Hide and Seek" film screening, 11/11/96: Invited to co-sponsor by the Film Studies Program/English Dept., we assisted in bringing experimental filmmaker Su Friedrich to campus.

  3. "Out at Work" film screening, 4/9/97: In concert with the Visiting Writers Program/English Dept. and the Film Studies Program/English Dept., GLFSA screened the new documentary on gays and lesbians in the workforce, "Out at Work." Following the screening, director Tami Gold and one of the participants from the film, Nat Keitt, addressed the audience on issues of sexuality, labor rights, and the making of the film.

  4. "OUT LOUD in Essex": Co-sponsors for the first lesbian, gay, and bi music and poetry series presented at Page One Cafe, Montclair; co-ordinated by Elaine Schenkel, GLFSA member.

Social Events:

  1. "Flirtations" Concert, 10/4/96: pre-concert gathering at Sally's; post-concert gathering at Carla's

  2. Bowling extravaganza with PRIDE with pre-bowling dinner at Carla's and bowling expenses generously defrayed by Robert McCormick and Hunter Jones

  3. Sunday social, 2/23/97, at Robert and Hunter's.

Ongoing Projects for 1997-98:

    1. Implementation of and educational outreach for Safe Place Program

    2. Contributions to resource guide being compiled by Wellness Center

    3. Dissemination of Curriculum Survey

    4. Actions from Domestic Partnership Subcommittee

    5. Design and implementation of a GLFSA website

    6. Organization of 3rd Annual National Coming Out Day celebration

    7. Exploration into the feasibility of Gay and Lesbian Center on campus.
      8.

TRIANGLE      Academic Year 1998-99

TRIANGLE      Academic Year 1997-98
GLFSA Events | Safe Place Program | Year-End Reports | SPECTRUMS: MSU Student Organization | Queering the Classroom | Other LGBT resources on the Web
 
Questions, comments, & corrections
are welcome - contact the GLFSA
 

TRIANGLE   Back to GLFSA Home Page

Montclair State University
Upper Montclair, New Jersey, USA
 
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