NEWS
Regents address concerns
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Also by Sundeep Malladi:
- In-Depth: What's affected by budget cuts? (September 1, 2005)
- In-Depth: Backing up going down (September 15, 2005)
Related Stories:
- Regents approve consolidation (February 11, 2005)
- Regents pass hiring checks (December 11, 2006)
- Regents discuss admissions, minority report (April 8, 2002)
- Gay-rights group kicks off (October 25, 2002)
- Regents to address seg fees, textbooks (December 6, 2007)
by Sundeep Malladi
Friday, December 10, 2004
The Board of Regents met Thursday with a panel of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community to discuss the often difficult and challenging environments college campuses can create.
“[Disturbing] reports occur with enough frequency that attention is required if respect for all is to be our hallmark,” Cora Marrett, UW System Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, said.
In an effort to make campuses more welcoming to students of the LGBTQ community, the regents have created a UW System Inclusivity Initiative on LGBTQ People.
The panel of students consists of a variety of members from all areas of the LGBTQ community, who drove home many of the issues that the UW System will need to take on in the future.
UW-Oshkosh student Crystal Heckert, a committee member of the initiative, said the initiative helps engage and retain students who come from many backgrounds and is interested in issues of how the LGBTQ community, students of color and women all overlap.
UW-Eau Claire student Jessica Janiuk discussed the difficulties of being an openly transgender student in a UW System that does not often recognize the difference between gender expression and sexual orientation. For example, Janiuk pointed out the difficulty of restroom facilities and anti-discrimination policies as areas that can create confusion for transgender students.
“For me and other transgender people, it is a matter of safety and comfort, and there need to be better options,” she said.
The discussion did not only focus on the UW System’s focus toward campus environment, but also on academics.
Chair of the Inclusivity Initiative Steering Committee, Dr. Christine Flynn Saulnier, said research has shown that outlets that give aid and support to LGBTQ students and make LGBTQ students feel safer allow for them to achieve higher grade point averages. These efforts also increase the chances of retaining those students at a university.
Chancellor Richard Wells of UW-Oshkosh said the UW System’s awareness is already a step in the right direction.
“We seem to collectively, as a system, have our heads out of the sand,” he said.
The Regents’ Business and Finance Committee also met with UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Carlos E. Santiago and UW-Madison Chancellor John D. Wiley to discuss attracting research dollars.
Wiley charted the difficulties in maintaining research excellence, saying the key is in retaining the best people in an increasingly competitive environment.
“In maintaining excellence, the top 10 [methods] are all the same — the quality of the people,” he said. “You have to identify, hire and recruit the best people you can get — faculty, staff and students.”
The Physical Planning and Funding Committee also met to discuss new projects for research facilities. UW System Vice President for Capital Planning David Miller brought committee members up to date on Gov. Doyle’s plan of building an Institute of Discovery on the UW-Madison campus.
The 10-year plan is integrated with many of the initiatives of the current BioStar project. The plan will also aim to further stem cell and inter-disciplinary biosciences research in the biosciences research facilities in Madison.
Anonymous (December 10, 2004 @ 9:17am):
Yeah, given the current budget situation, I think that all system buildings should install "Other" bathrooms. I think UW funding should continue to fall until there aren't enough administrators to chase around these mickey mouse issues.
Anonymous (December 12, 2004 @ 3:11pm):
Aaargh. LGBT people, Get the fuck used to it. You can't like it you like boys/girls want to be a boy/girl. People can't help the fact that they are totally repulsed by the thought of your lifestyle.
