December 1, 2003

LGBT to formalize funding structures, staff volunteer activity

By Eric Rangus

The President’s Commission on the Status of LGBT Concerns moved to create a formal budgeting structure at it most recent meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 18, in 400 Administration.

Right now, the commission funds activities as they come, but policies and procedures chair Kathy McKee presented a plan to create a budget that would be approved at the commission’s first meeting each academic year. The money earmarked for yearly activities (the Pride Banquet, LGBT film festival co-sponsorship) would have to conform to the approved budget, while funding for other areas (marketing, other program sponsorships) could be appropriated using a formal request process. Currently, funding requests are handled more informally. The budget plan is tied into an idea that would set aside funds for individuals for activities such as travel to academic conferences. The plan will be voted on at a future meeting.

The nomination and outreach subcommittee announced it set up a volunteer activity for commission members with Project Open Hand for Dec. 5. The subcommittee also announced that nomination flyers for the 2004–05 commission were being created and that subcommittee members would focus on recruiting LGBT people from areas of the University not currently represented on the commission.

For the commission’s information, LGBT studies chair Bill Gilders distributed copies of the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on LGBT Studies at Emory, which was submitted to Emory College Dean Bobby Paul on Oct. 15.

The next LGBT meeting will be held Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 5:30 p.m. in 400 Administration.


If you have a question or comment for LGBT, send e-mail to Chair Jeff Martin at jdmarti@learnlink.emory.edu.