All paid Student Government officials must take part in the Safe Space Sticker Program through the GLBTA Resource Center this year.
The Safe Space Sticker Program is a three-hour training program that has been run through the GLBTA Resource Center for the past 10 years.
It aims to provide a network for students, faculty and staff committed to providing support for GLBT individuals, generate awareness of the GLBT-community and help individuals learn the ways in which homophobia and heterosexism affect everyone, according to the program’s resource manual.
SG Comptroller Eric Reath added the Safe Space training mandate to the SG manual that outlines all office policies in early May.
“[The 30 paid SG officials] cuts across a wide gamut of people and groups in SG,” Reath said. “I see this as being a great first step to make students [and SG] more inclusive.”
Reath said the officials aim to complete Safe Space training by November.
He described this year’s mandate as a “pilot program,” with the intent of making the program a directive for all elected members in the future if it is well-received by the SG members.
While unpaid SG members are not required to take part in the Safe Space Sticker Program this year, Reath suggests all SG members attend a training session.
“I will be encouraging all members to attend whatever kind of session they wish to,” Reath said. “I will attempt to schedule a couple of weekend sessions for larger groups and I will also encourage members to take sessions in a smaller more comfortable environment if they wish.”
GLBTA Resource Center Director Sara Bendoraitis said she hopes the program will help SG officials become more informed about the complex issues gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students face every day.
“More education is good for everyone; [it provides] a new lens when talking about advocacy,” Bendoraitis said.
While compiling the mandate, Reath sought out the GLBTA Resource Center directors and Student Activities Advisers Andrew Toczydlowski and Jarrod MacNeil for their thoughts on the Safe Space addition.
By July the entire manual was completed, and SG executive board members agreed to include the addition in the manual, Reath said.
Reath and other members of the SG Executive Board said they believe the Safe Space Sticker Program is a logical step toward making SG more inclusive.
“All students, regardless of their sexual orientation, should know that their SG is a safe and welcoming place,” SG President Tim McBride said.
