Project DATE emerges from hate crimes in Reilly Hall
Sasha Solomonov - March 6th, 2008Last month’s homophobic death treats to two students on campus mobilized PRISM into creating a program that educates students about diversity.
Project DATE, Diversity and Ally Team for Education, is a spawn of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group’s earlier program. While Project DATE incorporates LGBT issues, it focuses on education about all minority groups.
Chris Duarte, a junior sociology and criminal justice major and president of PRISM, presented the proposal for Project DATE along with Ash Arp and Laura Bjork, the victims of Reilly Hall’s anonymous death threats.
“Basically it would encourage forums, speakers, once-a-year diversity conference, panels and education in classrooms,” Duarte said.
Project DATE was initially presented to David Camacho, associate vice president for diversity and equity, but he was looking for a highly-developed plan.
“The model that they gave me is a little old, it goes back to the ‘90s,” Camacho said. “I suggested we create a Project DATE that is a model for ourselves at NAU.”
On April 25, PRISM will present Camacho and the administration a blueprint of their proposal.
In regards to long-term goals, Duarte outlined a five-year plan for how to make Flagstaff a safer space for people of all backgrounds.
“We aim to have an LGBT community center in Flagstaff, an LGBT chair on campus,” Duarte said. “We want to expand the PRISM office to hold Project DATE and talk to the library about getting more media and books regarding LGBT issues. We want to get funding to Fronske Health Center for trans. health.”
NAU President John D. Haeger said creating a new LGBT chair position and hiring an employee for it is unlikely.
“We are in a real budget shortfall situation so saying that we’re going to hire a new position, it’s difficult to say that right now,” Haeger said.
PRISM also aims to have the NAU join ASU and U of A by including the protection of gender expression and identity in the university’s bylaws.
There are three parts to the gender expression and identity non-discrimination policy: housing, accommodation and employment. If the university chooses to pass the policy, they may decide whether to integrate all three areas.
Dana Morgan, a junior theater technology major, said she moved off campus because the university did not provide gender neutral housing or bathrooms.
“It’s getting expensive off campus and the reason I left was because the bathroom situation and the shower situation,” Morgan said. “I had to live with guys my first few years here and it turned out okay but there’s a good chance that it wouldn’t have.”
Although the university does not technically protect gender expression in its bylaws, Haeger said all NAU students are protected.
“Step outside the policy,” Haeger said. “The university simply will not tolerate that kind of action against any group on campus.”
March 9th, 2008 at 11:57 am
President Haeger’s comment that we need to “step outside the policy, the university simply will not tolerate that kind of action against any group on campus” is completely false. If every student on campus is safe, then how come people are having to be scared to walk out of their room? How come people are getting death threats? How come people are afraid to go into their classes because students and professors are not tolerant of those who are “different”? If President Haeger’s statement was true, none of the previous statements would be true. If his statement was true, you could choose a tux or a dress in choir, you could walk around in without any fear of who you are, or who you are not, and sadly, that is not true. I wish President Haeger’s statement was true, I wish it was something that was possible on our campus today, but it takes learning to do that, it takes people who are willing to stand up for who they are, and it also takes people who are willing to stand up for others. That is what it takes, and hopefully one day in the near future, we can see this, and this university will be a more inclusive and happy place.