[From the Winter, 1996 issue of The Harvard
Gay & Lesbian Newsletter]
Proposal for a Study of the Needs of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Students
at Harvard College
To: Dean of Harvard College, Harry R. Lewis
Dean of Students, Archie C. Epps III
From: Robert W. Mack, Co-Chair, Harvard Gay & Lesbian Caucus
Date: January 2, 1996.
Harvard seeks to provide all of its students with a safe, diverse, supportive
and intellectually challenging environment.
Lesbian, gay and bisexual (lgb) students have a number of needs which
relate particularly to their sexual orientation:
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They need to be protected from the fear and hatred of certain other students.
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They need a mutually supportive lgb community.
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Some need counseling or other forms of support to help them understand
their sexual feelings and decide how to express them.
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They need courses which address the academic issues which engage them.
Harvard offers a variety of services designed to meet the needs of its
lgb students, including individual counseling by University Health Services,
the Designated Tutor program and the recently established support group
for freshmen. The Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Supporters Association (BGLSA)
affords several ways for students to become involved, and is in the process
of establishing a Resource Office which will create further opportunities.
Peer counseling concerning sexual orientation issues is offered by the
student group Contact. There are several courses which address lgb concerns
and The Harvard Gay & Lesbian Caucus sponsors a series of talks on
campus by lgb authors and scholars.
Questions have been raised, however, about the adequacy of presently
available services at Harvard:
-
Vicious attacks on lesbians, gays and bisexuals continue. Last spring a
poster in Leverett House for a talk by Hon. Barney Frank was defaced to
read "Barney Fag." This fall, students styling themselves AALARM put up
posters in the Yard reading "Sodomy=Death." These public incidents are
the tip of a large, ugly iceberg of homophobia at Harvard College.
-
Only half of the Houses have designated Tutors to be available to students
with concerns relating to sexual orientation. Why have so many Houses failed
to participate in this program? How can it be made more effective?
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Adams House has been a haven for lgb students and has provided a focus
for gay life at Harvard. The randomization of assignment to residential
Houses will end the concentration of lgb students in Adams House, and will
instead scatter them across campus. Concerns have been raised that this
may destroy the center of the lbg community, and dramatically worsen the
quality of lgb student life.
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Some students grappling with issues relating to coming out want to discuss
their feelings with a group of their peers. Yet until several Proctors
identified and met this need Harvard offered no group context for discussion
of sexual orientation concerns.
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Students who would be reluctant to seek counseling in the "medical" atmosphere
of University Health Services might be more comfortable talking with a
designated Tutor or a counselor at the Bureau of Study Counsel.
-
While BGLSA has made dramatic efforts this year to become more welcoming
to straight and partially closeted lgb students, many students, for a variety
of reasons, are reluctant to participate in BGLSA activities. The new BGLSA
Resource Office will meet important needs, but it will not meet the needs
of lgb students who avoid involvement with BGLSA.
Other universities offer "coming out" groups for students, administrators
responsible for coordinating delivery of services to the lgb student community,
official lgb resource offices and Gay and Lesbian Studies programs. Harvard
is not obliged to follow the lead of other schools, but its failure to
provide services which are offered elsewhere raises the question whether
important needs are not being met. Harvard should not be a follower; it
should be a leader in finding creative and effective ways to meet the needs
of its lgb students.
We propose that a committee be charged to study and report on the needs
of lgb students at Harvard College and the respects in which these needs
are or are not being met.
In particular, we propose that Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis appoint
a committee composed of faculty members and students, chaired by a senior
member of the faculty. Staff members, alumni/ae or both might also usefully
be included on this committee. Membership on the committee should be diverse
in gender, race and sexual orientation. We propose that the committee be
charged to:
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Identify the needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual students at Harvard College
which relate particularly to their sexual orientation.
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Describe the services which Harvard College and its student organizations
presently offer to lgb students.
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Evaluate how well the existing services meet the needs of lgb students,
and identify any needs which are not being adequately met.
-
Suggest possible means by which any such needs could be addressed.
We believe that Harvard University and all of its students ultimately benefit
from the maintenance of a safe and happy lesbian, gay and bisexual community.
We feel that the study which we propose is necessary to assure that this
is achieved.
[Subsequent to submission of this proposal we realized that the question
of the adequacy of Harvard's AIDS education and support services for gay,
lesbian and bisexual students should also be addressed.]
[From the Winter, 1996 issue of The Harvard
Gay & Lesbian Newsletter]