Group Calls for Gay Studies

The University Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Leadership Council will hold an open meeting today to discuss its call for a social and academic resource center for gay students and a gay and lesbian studies program at Harvard.

The council, a focus group which unites leaders from all the University's gay, bisexual and lesbian groups, has requested a meeting with President Neil L. Rudenstine to talk about the plans.

Today's meeting will serve to focus the group's concrete agenda for the center and curriculum and bring in the community's diverse viewpoints, said William Meikrantz, a council member representing the School of Public Health.

"We're trying to build a consensus in the community as to what's really required," he said. "We want to give the lesbian on the street a chance to give her input."

The council's main initiative is a gay, bisexual, lesbian center. The building, which would include a "safe space" for events, an administrative area, a health issues foundation and a research institute, could help unite people from all parts of the University, Meikrantz said.

"Harvard is so scattered and divided into little domains that we don't communicate as well as we could," he said.

The director of the University Bi-sexual, Gay and Lesbian network, Associate Registrar Thurston A. Smith, said the center is a worthwhile project, but he warned that budget restraints could prevent it.

"I think it [the center] is an important thing to do," Smith said.

The council has also formulated a preliminary proposal for Rudenstine explaining the suggested initiatives, which include a push for "a gay and lesbian studies/ gender studies program."

The proposal suggests plans for a floating visiting professorship in the field and future "curriculum assessment and development."

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Lawrence Buell said the addition of courses on gender issues and issues of sexuality is definitely possible.

"I think it's quite conceivable," he said. "You'd have to have willing faculty to teach them."

Buell said courses would most likely be offered under General Education listings or within existing departments, but a new concentration would require strong support from a number of committed faculty.

"I think it's not only possible to develop new offerings in gay/lesbian studies within existing concentrations, but it's already been done," Buell said

"I think it's quite conceivable," he said. "You'd have to have willing faculty to teach them."

Buell said courses would most likely be offered under General Education listings or within existing departments, but a new concentration would require strong support from a number of committed faculty.

"I think it's not only possible to develop new offerings in gay/lesbian studies within existing concentrations, but it's already been done," Buell said