How Universities Can Address The Needs Of Lgbtq+ Students – Updated on September 27, 2021 at 8:28 pm ET Published on September 26, 2021 at 3:21 pm ET Published on September 26, 2021 at 3:21 pm ET
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Walsh University’s proposed “Oasis Club” has been under review for 140 days. The club aims to provide a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students and their allies to meet, discuss issues, and discuss service initiatives.
How Universities Can Address The Needs Of Lgbtq+ Students
What you need to know Efforts by Walsh University students to form a recognized LGBTQIA+ club have continued for at least nine years, with many efforts halted as people graduated. A school-sanctioned club means the club can have representation in student government, faculty recognition and receive the same funding and support as other student organizations at Walsh University is a private Catholic university in Northeast Ohio. The university is approx. There are 2,600 students
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Kaylyn Liossis, a senior at Walsh University who identifies as pansexual or queer, and Hannah McFeeters, a senior who identifies as an ally, met in co-authored the proposal in May.
“Clubs have always been a top request for LGBTQ+ students because it ultimately means the university recognizes them as people worthy of recognition, worthy of acknowledgment, worthy of protection and worthy of representation,” said student-athlete McPheeters, who played junior high at Walsh University. hockey.
In order to start a new club at Walsh University, at least 15 students must be interested in joining the club. More than 50 students have expressed interest in joining the proposed Oasis Club.
McPheters and Leosis received the support of two-thirds of the Walsh student government, as well as the support of the Walsh University College Democrats, College Republicans, the World Student Organization, the Student-Athlete Advisory Commissioner and the President of the Dead Philosophers Society, They all signed a letter supporting the proposed Oasis Club.
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Bryan Badar, vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Walsh University, said the proposal has been addressed and is now being reviewed by the Office of Student Affairs.
“The message I really want to send to students is that we care first, we want them to feel connected, we want them to feel supported,” Badal said. “We realize the way this process is unfolding may be frustrating, but we want to engage as many people as possible in the conversation as we work to ensure we can support all students.”
There is a culture on campus at Liossissaid that is not always accepting of students who identify as LGBTQ.
“My roommate and I were sitting in our common room and someone walked by our window and yelled homophobic slurs,” said Leosis, who identifies as pansexual or queer. “I don’t know who believes that my identity is valid. I don’t know who hates me for who I am. I don’t know who has preconceived notions about me because of who I am. But if you have a person who is truly committed to To clubs that provide a safe space for queer students and their allies, so when you walk into that room, you know no one will judge you for who you are.”
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“I think Walsh does a great job of treating the white, straight, Catholic students on campus fairly and treating them with respect and providing them with a lot of resources,” McPheeters said. “But from the moment you’re differentiated, whether it’s sex, age, sexual orientation, gender or race, universities don’t have many policies in place that really look after vulnerable populations.”
Sexual orientation is not listed in the school’s nondiscrimination policy, which added a new line this year: “Every member of the Walsh University community and visitor to our campus will always be recognized based on their biological sex at birth.” .
“As a faith-based institution, as a religious institution, we also claim that we are protected by the Religious Rights and Freedoms Act,” Badal said. “But we know that we do care about our students, and we want them to know that. We do want them to feel comfortable on campus. We want them to feel safe on campus. If they have questions or concerns, they absolutely need to come to us and Let us know so we can help solve these problems.”
Prominent Catholic institutions such as Notre Dame, Villanova University and John Carroll University all have LGBTQ clubs and resources.
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“Same-sex attraction, as they say, is not a sin,” Leosis said. “It’s not a sin to be attracted. The behavior is a sin. So I mean, start a club on campus where you’re literally just a queer person living with other people or other people, queer or not , which is not against Catholic teaching.”
“Our club proposal contained a great deal of Catholic doctrine and Catholic doctrine, and we never got a straight answer as to which parts of our club application were not consistent with the Catholic faith,” McPheeters said. “Catholic teaching does not prohibit the gathering of God’s creation, God’s people, or homosexuals. Who am I to judge,” Pope Francis said publicly during his papacy. He also affirmed the entry of homosexuals into civil unions Family rights. I mean, we’re not getting married in this club or anything like that. We just want a simple place and a place to be.”
The university recently launched an initiative called “Walsh United” to improve diversity and inclusion on campus.
Walsh University President Tim Collins sent an email to all students on July 16 outlining four action steps to be completed by summer 2021.
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Badal said Walsh administrators and leadership have been meeting with people from various affinity groups, including those from the LGBTQIA+ community.
“The student-led diversity committee is being formed through our student government, so that’s ongoing as well. And then our cultural humility training will be happening next month,” Badal said.
Badal said the school has not yet decided whether LGBTQ students and their allies can have a recognized club.
“That’s what we’re discussing right now. You know, so, the answer is not yes and it’s not no, but we’re looking for a solution that best serves our students and honors our commitment to Catholic teaching and mission-aligned commitment,” Badal said.
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Walsh University promotes a diverse community in its mission statement, and marketing materials include the words “Come As You Are.”
“The university is a part of me, just like I’m a part of the university,” McPheeters said. “So I support Walsh. I support making Walsh better. When I graduate, I want to be able to Talk about in my resume, Walsh University is an institution that upholds and promotes a commitment to diversity and people of different backgrounds because that’s what college is about, it’s exploring the big world, exploring different perspectives and being able to be critical Sexual Thoughts.”
“If the answer is no, we can start working in other directions to improve the strength of this group. If the answer is yes, then we can start working,” McPheeters said.
“I’m part of this community, the Walsh community, and I want this community to be better, not just for me but for other students,” Leosis said. “There are going to continue to be people enrolled on campus, and I want to leave them with a university that they can be proud of and where they feel safe.”
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September 27, 2021 Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated that Catholic universities refused to have LGBTQ clubs and resources.
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