Penn State Intercom......July
12, 2001
FOSTERING DIVERSITY
Commission marks milestone,
looks to build on progress
By Julie A. Brink
Public Information 
This fall, the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equity marks 10 years as an organization at the University.
As the group's chair, Tramble T. Turner, associate professor of English at Penn State Abington, is looking forward to celebrating that milestone. Founded in 1991, the organization is an advisory group to the University president. The official roster is 30 members, representing students, faculty, staff and administration.
Vice Provost for Educational Equality Terrell Jones observed that many of the commission's issues relate to climate, to developing an inclusive atmosphere on campus that allows diverse groups to participate fully.
"They can be part of the University without fear of discrimination," he said.
Turner said he joined the organization last summer because he was aware of the "very significant work that the commission has done over the years." He noted that he was "impressed with the overall change in climate of the University having taught there (University Park) from 1987 to 1989 when the climate was somewhat different."
In the past, he's served as a member of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Support Network and he was a founding member of the Lesbian and Gay Faculty Senate Caucus.
Neill Johnson, associate director of the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, is the outgoing chair.
"I think we're very fortunate to have as our incoming chair a faculty member at a location other than University Park and somebody who has some experience and contacts on the Faculty Senate," he said.
Turner's term as commission chair runs from July 1 through June 30, 2002. His goals include building on the work that recent past chairs have done; identifying and working on new projects; and working with the Commission For Women and the Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity to identify shared interests.
Turner, who will be commuting from Abington to discharge his responsibilities, said he looks forward to helping the University facilitate a healthy dialogue on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues within the commonwealth. He hopes to draw more student voices into the commission and praised Neill Johnson's work during the past year in that regard.
"I look forward to having more chances to meet students at University Park, having been very impressed with the integrity and energy of those students involved with the commission during the past year," he said.
Turner said he's encouraged by recent happenings on campus. He pointed to the Black Caucus's occupation of the HUB-Robeson Cultural Center this spring as an example, noting that due to that event, a broad dialogue on issues and concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students occurred within the group, which dubbed itself The Village. He said he hopes it will assist in building an improved climate for student, faculty and staff in underrepresented groups.
"If they feel more comfortable, they'll be easier to recruit," he said.
Turner praised student involvement in such issues, crediting the efforts of Jennifer Storm who participated in the dialogue during the HUB occupation, and the work of Jacquette Wade who helped form Undertones, a new student group focused on the concerns of students of color within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community.
Undertones joins a number of other liaison groups available to those within the University community interested in gender and sexuality issues, such as the LGBT Support Network. The network encourages supportive persons to prominently identify themselves by displaying a poster or wearing a pin that denotes them as a member.
"The goal of the program," Turner said, "is to provide a more hospitable environment, to establish a network of support and a safe haven." It is open to those of all sexual orientations. Membership information is available at (814) 863-7696.
Many issues relating to diversity remain to be confronted both on a national and University level, he said, but "I think it's false to isolate discussion within the University community from the statewide and the national discussion."
However, on a University level, Turner noted that the increasing number of international students and initiatives to study abroad has had an effect on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in terms of their international partners and the resulting issues associated with U.S. immigration law.
Another issue that Turner expects the commission to confront is the delayed commission resource center.
Planned for an opening in the 2001-2002 academic year, the center will be a suite of offices located in the Boucke Building. The plan for the center has gone through several discussions, delays and revisions within the University, he said.
"We have great hopes for the planned establishment of a new Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center and we hope that will come to fruition and that various student concerns will be more fully considered in that planning," he said.
Turner, who just returned from a conference on Irish studies in New York City, has delivered three papers in the past year on the writings of Colm Tóibín, Ireland's foremost gay novelist.
Julie A. Brink can be reached at jab81@psu.edu.