2008 Woodie Awards
LGBT office scales back due to staff shortage
Chris Yu
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: News
The Office of LGBT Equity named a new associate director earlier this month, following significant cutbacks in services after the position was left vacant over the summer.
Gabriel Atchison, an adjunct professor teaching women's studies at New Jersey City University and sociology at College of New Rochelle, will assume her new title in early January. Shiva Subbaraman, the previous associate director, left the job over the summer to become the head of Georgetown University's new LGBT resource center after her salary's funding at this university wasn't guaranteed until too late in the spring semester for her to feel comfortable staying.
As a result of Subbaraman's departure, the LGBT office had to cut back or even eliminate several services it provides, said Luke Jensen, the office's director. But Jensen is hopeful that once the new associate director assumes her role, the situation will get better.
"I envision that we'll return to the high level of programming and experience," Jensen said. "We've always been doing a lot with very little."
Because Atchison will not start her new job until Jan. 5, Jensen had to work for several months as the only staff member in the LGBT office. Being so shorthanded, Jensen said he had to reduce the services his office provides.
Every semester, the office conducted training sessions teaching students how to lead discussions about LGBT issues with other people. But this fall, Jensen said he had to eliminate this program because he couldn't do it alone.
The office also runs the Rainbow Terrapin Network, a series of meetings that teach campus staff and faculty how to interact with and better serve LGBT students. But Jensen had to cut the number of sessions in half. In fact, he had to recruit graduate student Melissa Lewis to help him with the training.
Jensen said this semester he was not able to complete the Allies List - a publication that displays the names of LGBT supporters on the campus - because he is so overwhelmed with work. Additionally, Jensen said this is the first year his office didn't become involved in the national Transgender Day of Remembrance, held yesterday.
Gabriel Atchison, an adjunct professor teaching women's studies at New Jersey City University and sociology at College of New Rochelle, will assume her new title in early January. Shiva Subbaraman, the previous associate director, left the job over the summer to become the head of Georgetown University's new LGBT resource center after her salary's funding at this university wasn't guaranteed until too late in the spring semester for her to feel comfortable staying.
As a result of Subbaraman's departure, the LGBT office had to cut back or even eliminate several services it provides, said Luke Jensen, the office's director. But Jensen is hopeful that once the new associate director assumes her role, the situation will get better.
"I envision that we'll return to the high level of programming and experience," Jensen said. "We've always been doing a lot with very little."
Because Atchison will not start her new job until Jan. 5, Jensen had to work for several months as the only staff member in the LGBT office. Being so shorthanded, Jensen said he had to reduce the services his office provides.
Every semester, the office conducted training sessions teaching students how to lead discussions about LGBT issues with other people. But this fall, Jensen said he had to eliminate this program because he couldn't do it alone.
The office also runs the Rainbow Terrapin Network, a series of meetings that teach campus staff and faculty how to interact with and better serve LGBT students. But Jensen had to cut the number of sessions in half. In fact, he had to recruit graduate student Melissa Lewis to help him with the training.
Jensen said this semester he was not able to complete the Allies List - a publication that displays the names of LGBT supporters on the campus - because he is so overwhelmed with work. Additionally, Jensen said this is the first year his office didn't become involved in the national Transgender Day of Remembrance, held yesterday.
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Jon
posted 11/21/08 @ 7:28 AM EST
"The search for the new associate director was approved in June, and Jensen made the final decision to hire Atchison this month because she has worked for non-profit organizations that advocated for LGBT women and people of color. (Continued…)
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