Purposes, Initiatives and Regular Programs of the Harvard Gay & Lesbian Caucus

Our Purposes:

• Building a sense of community among Harvard and Radcliffe gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people.
• Maintaining and expanding a network of GLBT alumni/ae.
• Pressing for a non-discriminatory, diverse academic, living and working environment at Harvard.
• Educating others and ourselves about GLBT concerns and contributions.
• Undertaking community service projects.
• Encouraging informal coordination among GLBT student groups throughout the University.

Our Current Major Initiatives:

• Supporting students in a summer project that benefits the GLBT community with the HGLC Public Service Fellowship which awards financial support to an outstanding student of any school of Harvard University.
• Sponsorship and support of the Gay and Lesbian Review, a bi-monthly review of literature and ideas.
• Encouraging the creation and growth of local chapters of the Caucus and networking among College classmates and graduates from particular graduate and professional schools.
• Urging the College to make gay, lesbian and bisexual Proctors and Tutors available in the freshman Yard and in each upperclass House, with particular emphasis on same-sex couples.
• Electing openly gay and lesbian alumni/ae to the Board of Directors of the Harvard Alumni Association and to the Board of Overseers of Harvard University.
• Encouraging academic study at Harvard of gay, lesbian and bisexual life, including establishing a visiting professorship and/or a gay studies program.
• Creating a center for gay, lesbian, and bisexual students and staff, to provide administrative coordination, educational outreach, a library and/or meeting space.

Regular Caucus Programs (for current listings see our events page)

• Annual Commencement Dinner - Each Commencement Day, hundreds of Harvard gay, lesbian and bisexual alumni/ae, faculty and staff meet to affirm and celebrate the vitality of our community.
• The Harvard Gay & Lesbian Newsletter - Harvard-related news and commentaries, published three times a year.
• Annual Lectures:
• The Burton Ross Pierce Lectures: A scholar in gay/lesbian/bisexual studies visits Harvard for a public lecture.
• The Jon Pearson Perry Series: Readings, performances or talks by writers and others in the arts.
• The Alice Belton Series: A talk on a subject of particular interest to women.
• Social Events: a variety of social events is sponsored by the Caucus and its local chapters each year. In Cambridge there is typically a reception after The Game (when it is in Cambridge), a Holiday Party, receptions after each lecture, and several receptions and cocktail party during Reunion Week. Local chapters in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, the District of Columbia and elsewhere also sponsor social events, and the Caucus also often hosts a summer party in Provincetown.