Student Assembly

Dear President Skorton,

I would like to formally communicate Student Assembly Resolution 20, “Calling for the Hire of an Associate Dean of L.G.B.T.Q. Outreach,” sponsored by S.A. LGBTQ At-Large Representative Dean Iwaoka, VP of Diversity and Inclusion Ulysses Smith, VP of Finance Roneal Desai, VP of Outreach Ross Gitlin, Haven President Emily Bick and Haven President Jadey Huray. The resolution passed (22–1−0).

The resolution calls on the administration to hire an additional Associate Dean position within the LGBT Resource Center in the Office of the Dean of Students. The new position would serve as an adviser to Haven, the LGBTQ Student Union, work on program development, and serve as support staff in the Office of Intercultural Dialogue. The resolution states that the Associate Dean position within the Resource Center has remain unstaffed and there are not any plans to fill the position. The resolution’s sponsors noted that Haven is the only byline funded organization without an adviser and the student leadership and members of the community are overwhelmed because they have little support in sponsoring, co-sponsoring, and executing more than 100 programs across their 8 sub-organizations for the LGBTQ community on campus. The sponsors pointed to the past two academic years when two consecutive Haven presidents resigned midway through the year as a testament to the strenuous responsibilities placed on the community.

The sponsors stated, and the Student Assembly members agreed, that the lack of support is detrimental to the student life experience and the well being of LGBTQ students on campus. S.A. members commended Matt Carcella for his leadership as Director of the LGBTQ Resource Center, but believed that an additional staff member will even further improve the Resource Center and Haven’s ability to program for, reach out to, and support the needs of the LGBTQ community on campus. S.A. members further believed that the current campus climate - as reflected by multiple bias incidents earlier this year - illustrates that the needs of the LGBTQ students on campus could not be greater.

I have attached Resolution 20 for your reference. Please let me know if you have any questions and have a great Thanksgiving!

Best,
Adam