Georgetown University is currently one of only two Catholic universities with LGBTQ resource offices, and recently provided a new “center” for LGBTQ operations. But this “accomplishment” is of little merit as long as the resource center remains so underprivileged that it cannot offer resources equivalent to other centers on campus.
Bill McCoy, director of the LGBTQ Community Resources, is only employed part-time in this capacity, splitting his time as assistant director for Student Organizations. Other divisions under Student Affairs—to which the LGBTQ center belongs—such as the Center for Student Programming, Residence Life, the Academic Resource Center and Judicial Affairs all have full-time professional as well as part-time student employees. Despite its university funding, the center does not have money budgeted for student workers.
Even if McCoy had student workers at his side, they would have no place to work. The resource center itself is hardly a center. Technically, it is called the Office of LGBTQ Community Resources, and is located at the edge of the Center for Student Programming, in what was previously the New Student Orientation office. McCoy moved into this office four weeks ago, after requesting greater student privacy. Before moving into this office that has an outlet to the hallway, students had to walk through the Center for Student Programs to reach McCoy.
LGBTQ Community Resources’ main challenge, however, has been marketing. As an administrator, McCoy says he does not have the time to flyer and promote events. Recently, LGBTQ Community Resources created a web site to keep students informed of its offerings, but it will not become part of the Georgetown web site for several months. The office’s groups and programs, such as OUTSpoken, the Ladies’ Lounge and Safezones cannot reach their full potential if no one knows about them. As of now, publicity comes mainly from word of mouth, Residence Life training and NSO training.
Georgetown has taken large strides as an LGBTQ-affiliated school; the office has also grown significantly over the past two years of its existence. But as a sub-division of Student Affairs, the LGBTQ Resource Center should receive the same level of support as other, effective centers on campus, such as the Women’s Center. Offering LGBTQ resources is pointless if students do not know that they exist. This can only be acheived through a larger staff, which in turn would mean more publicity for the LGBTQ Resource Center and its programs.
