LGB1996_2.pdf

Media

Part of To friends of the Graduate Gay and Lesbian Alliance

Text: Monday, 7 October, 1996
To friends of the Graduate Gay and Lesbian Alliance:
Due to continual lack of Interest, the club will hold its last meeting this Thursday,
October 10, 1996 at 6pm in Student Union 362 in the GGALA office.
Despite the variety of events that we have hosted in the past several years, I am
disappointed that few graduate students find the time to take part in what should be an integral
part of their graduate education. In the past few years that I have been president, we have
attempted to provide an outlet beyond the club scene for gay/lesbian/bisexual/queer graduate
students. It is unfortunate that the lack of interest in our organization has forced us to close and to
force graduate students back into the club scene yet again. Had people only appreciated us when
we were there: one point to note is that we are the only gay and lesbian graduate student
organization in Western New York.
Some of the events which we have hosted in the past few years are the following:
- Salon Q: monthly university- and community-based round-table for discussion of nonheterosexual issues.
-film purchases and screenings: we have bought several queer videos for the Video
Library of Lockwood Library (available at Capen) including titles such as Boys
Shorts, Last Call at Mauds. In the past we have also held screenings in
conjunction with the undergraduate group LGBA.
-social gatherings: at the different clubs as well as at several coffeehouses, e.g. Java
Temple
- workshops/seminars: our most recent was last year on graduate teaching assistants and
coming out to their students with guest speakers from the UB graduate school
administration.
-guest lecturers: our most recent was last year: Roey Thorpe from Cornell University.
Topic: Lesbian Communities in Detroit, Michigan, in the 1940s and 1950s.
I am most deeply disturbed that despite all these offerings we will have to cease to exist,
making it all the more difficult to start the club up again in the future.
· The only way we can save the club is for enough interested persons to show up at this
week's meeting to elect enough officers (4) to replace the four 3rd and 4th-year grad
students who are currently officers. The club needs new members who can inject new energy
into our organization.

sin~·y,

.
Vic

-r _r \

u~~~~

usilero
GGALA President