President's Select Committee for Lesbian and Gay Concerns Records

In the Spring of 1988, Rutgers University experienced a series of incidents of bigotry involving the gay community on campus. In response, University President Edward J. Bloustein initiated a campaign to counter the incidents. He began by writing and publishing "Towards a Pluralistic Community Free From Prejudice: A Suggested Agenda To Improve human Relations at Rutgers University" and initiated his campaign to promote respect for diversity at Rutgers. In February of 1988, President Bloustein announced the creation of a Select Committee for Lesbian and Gay Concerns. The Select Committee would be part of the University's larger commitment to combating prejudice and encouraging respect for diversity, through the Program to Advance Our Common Purposes.

President Bloustein charged the Committee to complete a series of tasks. First and foremost, he wanted them to provide a high-level, visible focus on the issue of discrimination and harassment of people on the basis of their sexual orientation. Secondly, he asked that they advise him and the University administration on how to best accomplish the full implementation of the University's policies barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Accordingly, the Select Committee was asked to assess the current policies and support services and make recommendations to reduce the incidents of homophobic activities on campus. Finally, they were asked to advise on the activities that would reduce prejudice and improve the over-all climate for the gay and lesbian community on campus.

The Select Committee was chaired by Dean James D. Anderson and consisted of twenty-nine members. The members included faculty, students, administrators and alumni.

At its first meeting in the Spring of 1988, the Select Committee identified nine areas of primary concern which would became the focus of nine task groups: Curriculum and Academic Affairs, Ending Homophobia, Personnel Benefits and Services, Special Concerns of Lesbians, Special Concerns of the Camden Campus, Special Concerns of the Newark Campus, Special Concerns of People of Color, Student Life and Services and University Publications.

Under the direction of Dr. Susan Cavin, the Rutgers Sexual Orientation Survey was conducted. The survey interviewed members from all facets of the Rutgers community and confirmed a homophobic atmosphere described in the report as "a vicious, sometimes violent underside to the life here at Rutgers"

The Select committee held a total of seventy-one meetings on the Camden, Newark, New Brunswick and Piscataway Campuses; the meetings included three Open Forums. In preparation for the final report, the select committee collected information in the spring of 1989 by taking surveys with students, faculty, staff members and alumnae/i. They also investigated curricula, programs and policies at other colleges and universities and engaged in extensive educational and outreach efforts.