LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Now is not the right time for a new Gender and Sexuality Center at CMU
TO THE EDITOR:
In a recent edition of Central Michigan Life, there was a story about how a group of students would like to see funding for a Gender and Sexuality Center included in into the new budget for the 2017-18 school year.
On March 30, students marched to Warriner Hall, collected signatures and gained support for the new center.
This sounds like a great idea that would give a lot of support to a marginalized group of students on campus, but I do not believe it is the right time to create this center.
Considering the university is grappling with a $20 million budget deficit, creating a new Gender and Sexuality Center is not a top priority for university leaders. To rectify the deficit, the university is being forced to cut courses and professors, which affects major programs in the long run.
It also shouldn't be implemented right now because there is already an office for LGBTQ services on campus. What can a new Gender and Sexuality Center do that the Office of LGBTQ Services can't?
The Office of LGBT Services has programs that serve to educate and support marginalized groups such as Trans Week of Awareness, Pride Week, Social Justice Dialogues, Safe Zone Training and more. In addition to these resources, there is also the student led organization Spectrum, as well as Transcend and the Counseling Center.
I'm not saying a Gender and Sexuality Center would be a waste of money.
It isn't.
It would serve as a resource and support system to help many discover who they are in a safe place. It would put an end to the long push to get a GSC at CMU.
But there are more important issues the university should tackle at this time.
For example, in the chemistry department, there is only one professor that teaches organic chemistry. Other classes, such as cell biology, only have a few spots in each section which causes students to get onto the waiting list where they may or may not get into the class.
The Gender and Sexuality Center should be implemented because I know it will help so many students. It makes me thankful that I have the Office of Inclusion and Diversity to use as a resource because they help so many students of color every day.
In the university's current situation, I think the GSC should put in the "to be continued" folder where it can be considered at a later date.
It may not be ideal, but it is the most rational thing to do.
BRIA MYERS
CMU junior
