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The Equality Herald - East Tennessee's source for LGBT community news |
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UT-K forms Commission for LGBT People Old news, still good news
by
Beth Maples-Bays After many delays and fervently guarded secrecy, information regarding the University of Tennessee at Knoxville’s (UT-K) Commission for LGBT People is finally available to the off-campus community. Initial organizing meetings began last November, followed by an initial meeting on December 12, 2006. These efforts were followed by Chancellor Loren Crabtree's approval of the group in February 2007. Following in the tradition of the Commission for Blacks and the Commission for Women, the recently-established group hopes to serve the Knoxville campus by acting as advocates on a variety of issues facing students and employees. From their page on the UT-K’s site: The UT Commission for LGBT People is a body appointed by the Chancellor to advise on planning, implementation, and evaluation of University programs, policies, and services designed to improve the status of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people on the Knoxville Campus. The Commission, in its role as an advocacy group, is committed to the protection and advancement of LGBT students, faculty and staff at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The announcement regarding the establishment of the Commission was sent via campus mail to UT-K faculty and was not released publicly, creating questions and concerns in the community. The Commission was established in December 2006.
“Chancellor (Loren) Crabtree has been a supportive ally in our efforts,” says Hoemann. “He understands diversity.” Hoemann cites improving the level of recognition of LGBTs at UT-K and protection policies as the next step for the group. He points out that nondiscrimination policies have already passed the graduate and undergraduate senates. As it now stands, the Presidents of the Lambda Student Union, the Graduate Student Senate, and the Student Government Association (undergraduate) are to be ex-officio members. The published list of members from their Web site is listed below: Membership: Melissa Bartsch, Student Counseling Center Donna Braquet, Libraries Ed Cortez, Information Sciences Ronald Gilmour, Libraries Chris Hodge, OIT Customer Technology Support Wes Knott, Libraries Marti McClard, Thornton Athletics Student Life Center Bharat Mehra, Information Sciences Becky Morgan, Student Health Service Jenny Moshak, Sports Medicine Tony Murchison, Social Work Renee Smith, OIT Digital Media Services P.J. Snodgrass, OIT Customer Tech Support Roger Weaver, Libraries Ed White, Literacy Studies Ex-officio Voting Members: Kristi Bogle, Student Government Association Pam Hindle, Commission for Women Ashe Smith, Lambda Student Union Eddie Woodruff, Graduate Student Senate Yang Zhong, Center for International Education Employee Relations Council Rep (to be named) Student assistant to the Commission (to be named) Ex-officio Non-Voting Members: Alan Chesney, Human Resources Lou Gross, Faculty Senate Jane Redmond, Commission for Blacks Marva Rudolph, Diversity Council Maxine Thompson-Davis, Dean of Students Hoemann’s background includes a variety of interests and scholarly pursuits. From Civil War and other history, theology and liturgy, Perry Mason, Star Trek, and his “Haven” in the 4th and Gill neighborhood, he brings a wealth of life experiences as well as keen academic credentials to his post as chair of this historic first Commission for LGBT People. For further information regarding the UT-K Commission
for LGBT People, visit their Web site at
http://lgbt.utk.edu/#comm. For information regarding the LGBT film
series beginning April 24 and the Brown Bag Discussion group beginning May
8, click on
“Announcements” in the navigation bar located below the mission
statement on the Commission Web page. |
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Chairing
the Commission is Assistant Dean of Distance Education, Dr. George
Hoemann.
