From: Ana Roca <[email-masked]>

CAMPUS NETWORK

Florida Coalition for Equal Rights in Education

Volume 1, Issue 1  Fall 1993

Co-editors:  Ana Roca and Helena Alonso

WILL REED LEAD?  WHAT HAS YOUR CHANCELLOR DONE FOR GAY
RIGHTS AT OUR STATE UNIVERSITIES?

Florida Board of Regents (BOR) Chancellor Charles Reed,
at the Tallahassee July 31, 1992 pioneering meeting
with the Florida Coalition for Equal Rights in
Education (FCERE) and members of United Faculty of
Florida (UFF), questioned the existence of
discrimination against gays or lesbians.  His
reasoning?  His office had not been receiving reports
or complaints on this issue.  By the end of the meeting
with students and faculty from all over Florida, the
Chancellor agreed to work with Coalition and to support
legislation protecting gays and lesbians.  he asserted
that he could not, however, offer protection via a
nondiscrimination university system policy because such
protection isn't included in state or federal laws.

Faculty and top ranking administrators supportive of
the requested change, are now frustrated because of the
lack of significant interest, legal research, or
lobbying by the BOR in this area, and especially by the
lack of leadership on this important civil rights issue
on the part of the Chancellor.

The Florida Coalition for Equal Rights in Education is
a grass-roots, all-volunteer, statewide network of
supporters (faculty, administrators, students, and
other allies) for equal civil rights in education.  One
of the primary goals of the group is to get the BOR to
include protection to individuals based on sexual
orientation.  That kind of official protection would
help safeguard not just students, but also state
employees and prospective students.

At the first-of-its-kind meeting with gay/lesbian
rights advocates, Dr. Reed said, that he did not
"condone or want to tolerate" any kind of harassment.
He added that students, professors and advisers have a
duty to report any cases they know of, promising to
step in if the allegations were not taken seriously.
In the meantime, while Reed avowed that he did not know
of any discrimination against homosexuals in Florida's
nine state universities, James Parry, the associate
vice-chancellor of labor relations for the SUS--as
reported in Tampa Tribune--acknowledged that
discrimination against homosexuals does exist on state
campuses.  However, Parry added that he had not heard
"a parade of horribles" that lends a sense of urgency
to the issue.

While acknowledging the need to document anti-gay/anti-
lesbian harassment and discrimination, FIU professor
Ana Roca pointed out to Reed that, because of the lack
of protection, people are afraid to come forward and
report such occurrences-a real Catch-22.  Professors
fear denial of tenure or promotion; administrators are
afraid of further harassment from peers or of getting a
lower grade from a professor who is homophobic.

Florida Atlantic University professor of
communications, Fred Fejes, described to Reed the often
hostile atmosphere on campus.  He said that gays and
lesbians are subject to taunting and sometimes to
violent attacks and emphasized that the issue is the
"bigotry and hatred that exists on campuses."

The Florida Legislature did pass a bill amending the
State Hate Crimes Act.  This new legislation broadened
the Act to include more severe penalties for any felony
or misdemeanor which evidences prejudice based on race,
color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual
orientation, or national origin of the victim.

The nondiscrimination polices that the Florida state
university system have in place offer protection from
discrimination based on all of the above categories,
plus age, marital status, and handicap.  However, they
do not include sexual orientation.  Chancellor Reed has
denied expansion of the nondiscrimination policies to
include sexual orientation by saying that the BOR is
not allowed to enact protection beyond existing state
or federal laws--he uses the argument that he cannot
give something away that he does not have, and insists
that without state or federal law he cannot grant the
request of the Coalition.

the Coalition, however, has pointed out that the
University of North Florida protects persons from
discrimination based on political affiliation and that
other state universities offer protection base on union
membership, both provisions not spelled out in state or
federal laws.  Coalition organizer Ana Roca, of FIU,
has shared with Dr. Reed and Nancy Stepina, Esq.,
Director of Governmental Relations (BOR), the long list
of both public and private colleges and universities
and entire state university systems that have enacted
policies which often go beyond the laws of their
states.

Write Chancellor and ask him to take a real leadership
role in this area, like many of his counterparts have
done all across the nation.  Let him know that you
support a BOR approval of expansion of the
nondiscrimination policy in the SUS and that you would
like his governmental relations office to lobby the
Florida Legislature for equal protection under the law.
Write to:  Dr. Charles B. Reed, Chancellor, Board of
Regents, State University System of Florida, 325 West
Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1950.  Send a copy
of your letter to your university president, to the
United Faculty of Florida, and to your legislators.

by Ana Roca, Department of Modern Languages
   Florida International University

ARE YOUR RETIREMENT BENEFITS REALLY YOURS?  MAYBE..

Disparate treatment between persons who are married and
single (or divorced/widowed) is not uncommon in
American society.  Take, for example, that annual task
demanded by our nation, filing your income tax.
Overall, married persons pay less when filing jointly
than those of us who are single.  Or consider the U.S.
military, an institution that has elevated such
distinctions to an art form with respect to housing,
meal allowances and health care.  It has recently been
brought to my attention that even the State of Florida
treats its single and married employees differently
when it comes to the state retirement program.  (Note:
this does not apply to optional retirement plans.)  I
share this information with you as a word of warning
and as a call to action.

It is well known that state employees are generally
paid significantly less than our private-sector
counterparts.  But, as legislators are quick to point
out, we enjoy health and retirement benefits that are
implicitly meant to compensate for our dismal wages.
Retirement benefits are especially important to us.
This is our "nest egg," an investment in our future
comforts.  Furthermore, a retirement is some thing we
earn over the tenure of our employment.  Reaching that
"vested" benchmark means eligibility for those benefits
at some point in the future.

But single state employees in Florida are not treated
equally under certain aspects of our retirement system.
Once an employee is vested, it is generally agreed that
they will be eligible for some level of benefits upon
retirement.  But what happens to those benefits if,
after being vested and prior to retirement, you
unexpectedly pass away?  If you are married or have
financial dependents (generally, minor children), your
spouse and dependents are eligible to draw on the "nest
egg" you have earned.  But, if you are single, divorced
or widowed without financial dependents, no one--not
your mother, your adult children or your lover
regardless of wills or beneficiary statements--will
ever enjoy the toils of your dedication to the State of
Florida.  In fact, it will be the State who reaps your
benefits as they revert back to the state coffers.

As you might imagine, gay and lesbian state employees
especially suffer from this policy.  Perhaps by sharing
this information with our heterosexual colleagues who
are single, widowed, divorced or simply interested in
issues of equality, we might be able to garner support
to bring pressure on the state legislature.
Incidentally, the appropriate legislature committee is
well aware of this disparate treatment and would just
as soon "keep it quiet" since they view it as a fiscal
measure.

Until there is a policy change, however, we must take
care of our own.  Colleagues who are terminally ill
should generally not be encouraged to "remain on the
payroll" by using sick leave if they are eligible for
retirement under the state system.  By doing so, they
risk losing entitlements to the state coffers and may
leave their survivors without the "nest egg" they have
earned over the years.  State employees should also be
aware that there is "lag time" between filing the
retirement paperwork and the actual date of retirement.
As always, you should consult your personnel office
prior to making any decisions, but be sure that you ask
"the right questions" given your status as a single
person.

by Rebecca Mae Salokar, Department of Political Science
   Florida International University

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ORGANIZES GAY/LESBIAN/BISEXUAL
CONCERNS COMMITTEE

A newly appointed committee at UF is focusing upon the
concerns of gay/lesbian/bisexual students, faculty, and
staff.  Appointed as an advisory committee to Provost
Andrew Sorensen, it is chaired by Dr. Sheila K.
Dickison, Associate Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Committee members have worked primarily on constructing
a survey to gather information about quality of life
issues for GLB students, faculty, and staff.  It was
felt that we need to document discrimination the
prejudice in order to build a case for including
"sexual orientation" in the university's
nondiscriminatory policy.  The committee has been
encouraged to believe that UF top administrators will
support an effort to include sexual orientation in our
nondiscrimination statements, understanding, however,
that change needs to be made on a SUS wide level.

The office for Student Services at UF also has a
Committee on Sexism and Homophobia.  This committee has
been instrumental in bringing workshops to campus on
homophobia and programming on GLB issues during People
Awareness Week.  The Division of Student Affairs
recently sponsored a staff development workshop on GLB
issues in which Dr. Nancy Evans (co-editor or Beyond
Tolerance; Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals or Campus) was
a guest presenter.  The workshop was attended by over
70 people representing various student affairs staff,
such as financial aid counselors, career resource
personnel, counseling center and housing staff, and
athletic association representatives.  The workshop
emphasized how heterosexuals can become "allies" in
fighting the oppression which is directed against GLB
people.

Gay rights is a "hot" issue in the Gainseville
community, and the best and worst of local government
has been displayed.  County commissioners were asked by
the local chapter of NOW to include sexual orientation
in Alachua county's antidiscrimination ordinance.  The
commission conducted a series of hearings over a period
of a year, and finally voted "yes" to include sexual
orientation in the county's ordinance this spring.
Last summer, Gainesville city commissioners countered
by voting against the proposal, and passed a statement
against including sexual orientation, implying that
doing so would open the door to such deviancy as
necrophilia and bestiality.

by Mary A. Fukuyama
   University of Florida

GAY/LESBIAN STUDIES COURSES ENRICH CURRICULUM AT
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY

Since January 1993, FAU has witnessed a number of
gay/lesbian affirmative events and activities.  In the
Spring 1993, a gay/lesbian students course was offered
by the Communications Department.  Although it was
added on short notice and not well-publicized, 15
students signed up and completed the course.  During
the summer, a graduate course was offered in the
History Department on Afro-American Identify/Gay-
Lesbian Identity.  This course was over-enrolled.  Also
last summer, the university library exhibited books,
articles and materials on gay and lesbian studies.

During the week of October 10, Lambda United, the Gay
and Lesbian student group at FAU sponsored a week of
Lesbian/Gay awareness which was funded in part by the
student government.  Among the activities taking place
was a concert by the cabaret team of Romanowsky and
Phillips.  There was a gay and lesbian teach-in, in
which various gay and lesbian faculty talked about
their work and other issues associated with being gay
or lesbian in academia; and a speech by Jose Zuniga on
gays in the military.

FAU President Anthony Cantanese created a special task
force on bias-free communication, charged with drafting
guidelines for official university publications and
communications.  Relying heavily on a similar document
compiled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the
task force drew up a five-page document which includes
sections on gender, race and ethnicity, age, and
disability, and a section on how to communicate in a
non-hetrosexist manner.  The guidelines are now a part
of the official University policy and are published in
the FAU catalogue.

Also, the University's Cultural Diversity Committee
conducted a survey of 750 University students and staff
(4,000 questionnaires were distributed) dealing with
issues of perceptions and relations among various
groups on campus.  A number of questions dealt with
gays and lesbians.  Both students and employees
indicated a strong belief in nondiscrimination of gays
and lesbians; however, 505 of the students objected to
having a roommate with a different sexual orientation.

by Fred Fejes, Department of Communications
   Florida Atlantic University

GET WITH THE PROGRAM, FLORIDA!

Among the many colleges and universities which already
have official nondiscrimination policies including
protection for gays are:  Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, New York University, City University of New
York (includes 17 campuses), University of Michigan,
University of California (includes all 9 campuses),
California State University (includes all 23 campuses),
Amherst College, Barnard College, Brown University,
Yale University, Ohio State University, Cornell College
Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton
University, Radcliffe College, Rutgers University,
Stanford University, University of Illinois-Champaign-
Urbana, University of New Hampshire, University of
Wisconsin at Madison, Williams College, the University
of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, the
University of Nebraska, and the University of Iowa.

Among the corporations who support the lesbian and gay
rights movement and have a nondiscrimination policy
including sexual orientation, are:  General Motors
Corps., Miller-Brewing Company, AT&T, Citicorp, IBM,
ABC, Bank of America, General Cinema, Knight-Ridder
Newspapers, J.C. Penny, Pitney Bowes, Rockwell
International, Sears Roebuck, Union Carbide, American
Express, Bell & Howell, Eli Lilly Co., Johnson &
Johnson, Honeywell Inc., Scott Paper Co., CBS., General
Electric., Merrill Lynch, SCM Corp., Eastman Kodak,
Revlon, Hoover Co., Metropolitan Life Insurance, Mutual
Life Insurance of New York, Adolph Coors Co., Chemical
Bank, McGraw-Hill, People's Energy Corp., Oscar Meyer,
Irving Trust Co., Firestone Tire & Rubber, and Colgate-
Palmolive.

-----------------------------------------------------
Campus Network is a grass-roots, volunteer-staffed
publication of the Florida Coalition for Equal Rights
in Education, a statewide network of individuals
committed to equal treatment and opportunity in
educated regardless of a person's sexual orientation or
other irrelevant criteria.  This publication is not
published at the expense of the SUS.  Campus Network is
not copyrighted and the views expressed here are the
views of the individual authors.  The Florida Coalition
requests that proper credit be given in the event of
reproduction and that whenever possible, permission be
obtained from the contributor/author.  Contributors to
this issue: Fred Fejes, Mary Fukuyama, Rebecca M.
Salokar, Helena Alonso, and Ana Roca.

We welcome submissions related to gay/lesbian/bisexual
concerns in the Florida public education.  To
contribute to future issues of Campus Network, please
contact Professor Ana Roca at: Department of Modern
Languages, Florida International University, Miami, FL
33199; (305 348-2851; E-mail: [email-masked]).
Unsolicited material cannot be returned unless a self-
addressed, stamped envelope is enclosed.  Materials
sent for consideration should be signed.  Include your
address and phone number and send hard copy along with
a disk version (on an IBM-compatible format, using WP
4.0 or Microsoft Word).  The deadline for the Spring
issue is February 15, 1994.