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“IF YOU BUILD IT”:

“IF YOU BUILD IT”:. Developing an LGBTQ Ally Program (with limited resources and/or funds) at the Community College David Chase Assistant Professor, English Raritan Valley Community College Branchburg, NJ.

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“IF YOU BUILD IT”:

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  1. “IF YOU BUILD IT”: Developing an LGBTQ Ally Program (with limited resources and/or funds) at the Community College David Chase Assistant Professor, English Raritan Valley Community College Branchburg, NJ

  2. At the Community College, our conversations about diversity and our innovative solutions to educational access and success tend to focus on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

  3. Unfortunately, since they are an “invisible minority”: we often leave our LGBT students out of these discussions and efforts AND/OR we fail to consider the ways in which issues related to sexual orientation may affect their college experiences

  4. Community Colleges have responded more slowly to sexual minority students than have four-year institutions • Yet LGBTQ Community College students face additional challenges compared to their four-year counterparts: • commuter students may have not left home behind, which may make LGBT identity formation more difficult • the non-residential setting of the CC presents barriers to the development of formal connections between LGBT students, faculty, and staff • (Ivory, 2005)

  5. Safety Issues (including, but not limited to, anti-gay bullying and harassment) are also a major concern

  6. (Q Research Institute for Higher Education) A 2009 national survey of 5150 individuals found: • 25% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual students and employees had experienced harassment • 33% of transgender/"gender nonconforming" respondents had experienced harassment • By contrast, only 12% of heterosexuals had experienced harassment

  7. A clear need for a higher level of institutional support: “If there are no visible gay, lesbian, or bisexual professionals on campus, students may perceive…that they are not valued; they may go underground, leave the institution, or, worse yet, not accept who they are.” (Cullen & Smart, 1991)

  8. Sadly, few of us (if any) pass by such a site on our daily walks across our Community College campuses • Yet ongoing, visible, and substantive institutional support for our LGBTQ students is still achievable (and surprisingly affordable!)

  9. Although it is still very much a work-in-progress, what follows is the story of how Raritan Valley Community College developed an LGBTQ Ally/Safe Zone Program to support its students

  10. For us, it all started with a sticker…

  11. …which most certainly made our hallways more colorful,

  12. but which raised all kinds of questions about what we were actually “saying” through our displays of support:

  13. Were we: • Merely expressing our “gay-friendliness”? • Designating “safe zones”? • Opening ourselves up to a higher level of accountability and involvement in the lives of our LGBTQ students?

  14. If we were interested in making a real and substantial difference in the lives of our LGBTQ students, how could we actually make this happen? How can we determine the needs of our students? What level of accountability will we expect from participants in our program? What kind of training will we need to equip ourselves as LGBTQ Allies? Who will provide/pay for this training?

  15. As a first step toward answering these and other questions, I assembled a task force of interested individuals (FT faculty, adjuncts, administrators, & staff)

  16. to discuss their experiences as students I next met with our GSA and their club advisor: • to determine our campus climate • to gauge the type(s) of support needed from an Ally/Safe Zone program

  17. Next, I went straight to the top: --obtaining support from key administrators is essential for the development of a successful Ally program.

  18. The President identified two key people within the institution who could help me accomplish the program’s development: --Dean of Student Services --Dean of Multicultural Affairs

  19. In-house Facilitator(s) vs. Invited Presenter? Some Considerations: • Budget • Campus Climate • Availability of “Experts” • Familiarity with Target Audience • Customization of Curriculum • Scheduling/Timing Concerns

  20. Either way, workshop(s) should be: • Interactive • Informative • “Safe” spaces for real conversations • Open to any college employee wishing to participate • Opportunities for commitment

  21. 2 ½ hours for each session Suggestions for a Two-Part Workshop Program to Train LGBTQ Allies: • 1st Workshop focuses on issues facing LGBTQ students, both on campus and off • 2nd Workshop focuses on interactive scenarios based on encounters with students that are likely to occur via participation in the Ally program

  22. Suggested Topics for Workshop #1: • What an Ally Is/Is Not • Assessing One’s Personal Beliefs • Determining the Campus Climate for LGBTQ Students • LGBTQ Terminology/Vocabulary • Responding to Anti-LGBT Behavior and/or Speech • Overview of On-Campus/Outside Resources • Signing the Ally Contract • Distribution of Ally Signs/Stickers/Buttons

  23. Suggested Topics for Workshop #2 • Role-Playing Scenarios Related to Likely Conversations between Students and Allies • Coming Out to Family and Friends • Classroom and/or Work Discrimination • Safer Sex (Practices & Resources) • Relationship Issues • Career Goals • Religious Conflicts • Self-Image and Depression • Bullying and/or Harassment

  24. Ideas for Successful Workshops • Choose time/date that allows for high level of participation across the college community • Secure a meeting space that is comfortable and supports/encourages collaborative learning • Decorate room and serve light refreshments (if possible) • Send “Save the Date” email, meeting request (with RSVP required), and/or last-minute reminder • Require training for all individuals who wish to participate in Ally Program (regardless of role, experience, and/or sexual orientation)

  25. Making Your Ally Program Visible and Viable • Develop signs, stickers, and/or buttons • Contact local press (if possible) • Develop an online presence (college website or Facebook) • Publish names and roles/locations of program participants • Plan for regular rotation of training workshops (yearly or every 2 years) • Sponsor campus programming and/or guest speakers (budget permitting) • Gather ongoing feedback from participants and/or students

  26. Questions and/or Feedback? David Chase dchase@raritanval.edu

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