Contact Evicted For New Adams Computer Lab

After 14 years in Adams House, the peer counseling group Contact must vacate its offices in G-entry by the end of today in order to provide space for a house computer lab.

Contact provides anonymous counseling to lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender and straight students on issues of sexual orientation and sexuality.

House Master Robert J. Kiely said the new lab's six computers and one printer will address a long-standing house need.

"More and more Adams House students have said 'we are suffering because we don't have a computer lab," Kiely said.

Adams currently has a small center with two computers.

But some feel emotional concerns should supersede a academic needs.

"I feel that it is a very sad time when computer space is more important than human services," said Nadja B. Gould, a clinical social worker at University Health Services (UHS) and one of Contact's two supervisors.

Contact is still searching for a new location, and the two co-directors-who asked to remain anonymous because of their work as confidential counselors-said they are worried about finding a new office in time to host clients immediately after Spring Break.

Contact will not be open to students tomorrow.

"We've been looking for space continuously since October," said one of the group's co-directors, who is a senior. "We haven't found a suitable space."

While Kiley said Adams has been honored to house Contact since its inception, he said he believes the entire College needs to share responsibility for student groups.

"It's Adams House who started it and staffed it," he said. "It's a College-wide group. It could move around from place to place."

The co-directors said the House administration did not handle the situation well.

"We're just angered and shocked at the way we were treated by the House Master," said the senior co-director. "It would have been nicer to get a much longer notice then we did."

He said Kiley first asked Contact to leave the House last October, giving them until December, but the group asked for an extension.

Moving creates problems for peer counseling groups that need to provide stability for their clients, the co-directors said.

"It's difficult for a peer counseling group to up and move. Our commitment to confidentiality makes it more difficult," the senior co-director said. "Two people have to be able to drop in with some amount of confidentiality, and you can't [be able to] hear through

The co-directors said Kiely led them to believe they had until the end of the school year to find new office space. But on March 10 they received an e-mail demanding that they vacate the space by today.

"Being informed of it 10 days before the move-pit was frustrating," said the second co-director, a junior.

Adams is hurrying to build the computer lab over Spring Break--in time for reading period and exams, according to Kiely.

Students expressed concern that the move could threaten Contact's future and the health of some gay and lesbian students on campus.

"I'm concerned about the future of Contact and concerned about the importance of the distribution of the services they provide to students," said Tyrone Jones '00, the founder of Spectrum, a group for queer students of color.

"One can't predict when students will need resources like Contact. It has the potential to be harmful, to be a dangerous thing. The resource needs to always be available," he added.

The Co-directors said Kiely did not talk with them personally about the need to move.

"It definitely would have been nice if it had even just been a phone call," the senior co-director said.

The space in Adams House is ideal for Contact's peer counseling work according to the co-directors.

"It is very discomforting to find that we won't be able to work form this space we have had for so many years," the junior co-director said.

The Co-directors said the limited space on campus for student groups is making it difficult for them to relocate.

"I do believe the University could be a little more proactive and helpful in finding space," Jones said. "The lack of definite response from the administration demonstrates a slowness to the needs of students, [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered] students in particular."

But the co-directors praised Dean Epps's office for their help since October.

"University Hall and the people there have been much nicer to deal with [than the House administration]. They have been much nicer to deal with [than the House administration]. They have been the saving grace," the senior co-director said.

Kiely said he doesn't understand why it is taking Contact so long to find a new home.

"It's hard to believe that in all of the other houses, in all of Loker, in all of Dean Epps space, there's not a little room for Contact," Kiely said, who said it is not his job to help relocate the group.

The co-directors prefer to look on the bright side.

"There are new leads that we are looking into right now. We're hopeful that it will work out," the junior co-director said

The co-directors said Kiely led them to believe they had until the end of the school year to find new office space. But on March 10 they received an e-mail demanding that they vacate the space by today.

"Being informed of it 10 days before the move-pit was frustrating," said the second co-director, a junior.

Adams is hurrying to build the computer lab over Spring Break--in time for reading period and exams, according to Kiely.

Students expressed concern that the move could threaten Contact's future and the health of some gay and lesbian students on campus.

"I'm concerned about the future of Contact and concerned about the importance of the distribution of the services they provide to students," said Tyrone Jones '00, the founder of Spectrum, a group for queer students of color.

"One can't predict when students will need resources like Contact. It has the potential to be harmful, to be a dangerous thing. The resource needs to always be available," he added.

The Co-directors said Kiely did not talk with them personally about the need to move.

"It definitely would have been nice if it had even just been a phone call," the senior co-director said.

The space in Adams House is ideal for Contact's peer counseling work according to the co-directors.

"It is very discomforting to find that we won't be able to work form this space we have had for so many years," the junior co-director said.

The Co-directors said the limited space on campus for student groups is making it difficult for them to relocate.

"I do believe the University could be a little more proactive and helpful in finding space," Jones said. "The lack of definite response from the administration demonstrates a slowness to the needs of students, [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered] students in particular."

But the co-directors praised Dean Epps's office for their help since October.

"University Hall and the people there have been much nicer to deal with [than the House administration]. They have been much nicer to deal with [than the House administration]. They have been the saving grace," the senior co-director said.

Kiely said he doesn't understand why it is taking Contact so long to find a new home.

"It's hard to believe that in all of the other houses, in all of Loker, in all of Dean Epps space, there's not a little room for Contact," Kiely said, who said it is not his job to help relocate the group.

The co-directors prefer to look on the bright side.

"There are new leads that we are looking into right now. We're hopeful that it will work out," the junior co-director said