Sub-Series E. Special Concerns of Lesbians:, 1988-1989

Summary: The Task Groups series is composed of materials directly relating to the groups that were formed within the Select Committee. Below are basic summaries of each task group.

Curriculum and Academic Affairs: held a seminar for representatives of key social science and humanities disciplines on the treatment of gender identify, sexual orientation, and the lesbian and gay experience. The disciplinary presentations and subsequent discussion provided the task group with initial information on the current status of these phenomena in Rutgers curricula.

Ending Homophobia: worked with the various residential colleges to determine how best to integrate the issues of homophobia and heterosexism into the University's orientation programs.

Joint Ending Homophobia and Student Life and Services Task Groups: sponsored a meeting of the 28 liaisons for lesbian/gay concerns from each of the academic units of the University. While this gathering was designed to help liaisons explore and clarify their purpose and roles, a primary objective was to obtain data on the kind of support such liaisons would need on an ongoing basis to fulfill their responsibility in the future.

Special Concerns of the Camden Campus: held an open forum to gather the concerns of the community.

Special Concerns of Lesbians: held a series of open forums to gather the concerns of the community. A strong concern for the creation of a safe space for social and academic interaction is apparent.

Special Concerns of the Newark Campus: held a series of open forums to gather the concerns of the community.

Special Concerns of the People of Color: held a series of open forums to gather the concerns of the community, creating a safe space for social and academic interaction.

Student Life and Services: met with various University offices which provide services to students to discuss how the University can best meet the special needs of the lesbian and gay student population. The Task Group followed up with meetings with administrators in the areas of career counseling; health services; student rights, compliance and discipline; religious life; and international student services. Meetings with leaders in the areas of public safety, fraternity and sorority affairs, housing and residence life were also conducted and established a very productive dialogue.

University Publications: designed a survey of the whole range of publications provided to students, faculty,staff and alumni to determine to what extent the University's nondiscrimination policies are highlighted and whether resources for lesbians and gay men are given the same kind of attention as those for other groupings or categories of students, faculty, staff and alumni. This study will go well beyond the current effort to ensure the formal statement of the nondiscrimination policy in official catalogs.

Additional materials: Materials that appear in the collection elsewhere in the collection, and duplicates have been held in this section.