Back From Out There
I was going to post from Santa Clara, but time got away from me; here I am. Santa Clara's built at one of the old missions, so it's got a stunning campus church. Also, it's in California. The weather is different out there. My colleague, who wasn't used to California, kept exclaiming over the flora, which are large. I remember the first winter I was in the Bay Area -- the roses were blooming in December. I was impressed. Now, I'm an old hand; I'm all jaded.
Still. Nice weather.
There were about 140 attendees at the conference, from about 40 Catholic colleges and universities. It was inspiring to hear what other people were doing to serve the LGBTQ students on their campuses, and it was useful to exchange strategies and tips. I came away with a suitcase stuffed with pamphlets, and a notebook full of ideas. But it felt like being on a life raft in the middle of the ocean, pulling in survivors and sharing biscuits. There are a great many Catholic campuses across America that have recognized LGBTQ student organizations -- Santa Clara's one of them, for instance, as are Loyola, Georgetown, and St. Louis; there are others that have unofficial groups that have some sort of support from the university -- at Boston College, for instance, though the LGBTQ student group doesn't show up on the official roster of student organizations, their website is hosted on the university server (and the Allies group is recognized, though its website hasn't been updated recently)-- and there are many others where the student group is as yet unrecognized and unsupported. Notre Dame, for instance.
But one of the campuses brought a picnic basket onto the life raft -- DePaul has not only a recognized LGBTQ student group, but a center! And! They offer a new LGBTQ minor in interdisciplinary studies!
We were all impressed. And jealous. Hand over the sandwiches, please.
Anyway -- we're now putting together a listserve, for those of us who went ot the conference, and I suppose, others who are concerned with these matters -- and I think we need a national organization, too. I would work on that. I would enjoy putting it on my resume.
Still. Nice weather.
There were about 140 attendees at the conference, from about 40 Catholic colleges and universities. It was inspiring to hear what other people were doing to serve the LGBTQ students on their campuses, and it was useful to exchange strategies and tips. I came away with a suitcase stuffed with pamphlets, and a notebook full of ideas. But it felt like being on a life raft in the middle of the ocean, pulling in survivors and sharing biscuits. There are a great many Catholic campuses across America that have recognized LGBTQ student organizations -- Santa Clara's one of them, for instance, as are Loyola, Georgetown, and St. Louis; there are others that have unofficial groups that have some sort of support from the university -- at Boston College, for instance, though the LGBTQ student group doesn't show up on the official roster of student organizations, their website is hosted on the university server (and the Allies group is recognized, though its website hasn't been updated recently)-- and there are many others where the student group is as yet unrecognized and unsupported. Notre Dame, for instance.
But one of the campuses brought a picnic basket onto the life raft -- DePaul has not only a recognized LGBTQ student group, but a center! And! They offer a new LGBTQ minor in interdisciplinary studies!
We were all impressed. And jealous. Hand over the sandwiches, please.
Anyway -- we're now putting together a listserve, for those of us who went ot the conference, and I suppose, others who are concerned with these matters -- and I think we need a national organization, too. I would work on that. I would enjoy putting it on my resume.
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