Jordan elected LGBT chair for 2001-02

By Eric Rangus erangus@emory.edu

Without a chair for much of the semester, the President’s Commission on LGBT Issues elected Mark Jordan to fill the position for the next academic year. His selection highlighted the commission’s final meeting of the year, May 1, in 400 Administration Building.

In addition to choosing Jordan, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Religion, as chair, the commission picked the remainder of its officers and also selected chairs for each of its five committees.
Also chosen for officer positions were Kathy McKee (chair-elect), Bill Thompson (treasurer) and Catherine Young (secretary). Young is the only officer renewing her position, and she also is the only student officer.

Committee chairs are: Catherine Shiel (Pride banquet), Susan Browne (essay prize), Luis Cosme (membership/nominations), Ike Parker (Oxford) and David McClurkin (publicity/promotion/
outreach).

The publicity committee in its previous incarnations had been an informal one. Next year will be the first time it will be formally organized. It is charged with promoting the commission’s work across and outside the University, writing publications and completing a commission website. Currently the commission information is listed on the website of the Office of LGBT Life.

Liaisons also were chosen for PCSW (Emily Noonan), PCSM (James Pace), Employee Council (McClurkin), the LGBT office (Snehal Desai) and the University Senate (Jordan).

In old business, Erin Mooney updated the commission on the status of the questions she is working on for the new campus climate survey, which is targeted for the fall. She said she met with PCSW

Chair Deb Floyd and PCSM Chair Brenda Seiton to come up with questions for the survey. Mooney said the work was completed, then the questions were passed along to Daniel Teodorescu, research associate in the Office of Institutional Planning and Research.

Acting Chair Saralyn Chesnut said she hopes the committee can increase its visibility on campus in the next year, adding she wanted to sponsor a “high-profile” event on campus, possibly in tandem with the LGBT office and Emory Pride.

Jordan mentioned sponsoring an academic conference similar to one held earlier in the year at Emory concerning the view of same-sex relationships by different religions. He added a well-known speaker could start a buzz on campus.

Chesnut discussed some possible administrative changes for 2001–02. For instance, cutting meetings back to once every six weeks rather than once a month. Commission bylaws state meetings shall be held monthly, so they would have to be changed in order to put this plan into action. This will be discussed at the first fall meeting.

The meeting time for next year was changed, as well. Meetings will now start at 5:30 p.m. to accommodate staff and students who found 4 p.m. meetings difficult to make. Jordan said meetings would last only one hour; they are now scheduled for two hours.

The commission will not meet again until fall semester.

If you have a question or a concern for LGBT, contact the Office of LGBT Life at 404-727-0272.