What Does the Commission Do?

The Commission serves to improve the climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members of the Penn State community through examination of current policies and practices and through the initiation and promotion of programs which will result in a more equitable and supportive environment. This is accomplished through our current standing committees (listed below) and through the initiation of ad hoc committees1 for special topics.

Communications Committee
Examines ways in which to make the commission more visible within the university community.

Curricular Integration Committee
Ongoing review of the curriculum to evaluate and encourage the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender topics, issues, and concerns into current and future courses.

Employee Concerns Committee
Proposes activities and programs to enhance the climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faculty and staff.

Joint Chairs Committee
Identifies policy and leadership concerns of common interest to each Commission.

OUTreach Committee
Initiates programs to improve the climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons at locations away from University Park, including building a network of liaisons and developing diversity programs.

Student Concerns Committee
Proposes activities and programs to enhance the climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students.

Ongoing projects of the Commission include:

The Commission's four strategic goals are as follows:

1. Monitoring, evaluating, and maintaining resources to improve the climate and welfare for the LGBT community

2. Extending current resources

3. Creating new resources

Current initiatives include:

1. Working cooperatively with other Penn State offices and units, the Commission for Women, and the Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity to enhance the climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members of the University community.

2. Developing an LGBT minor program of study. The Curricular Integration Committee of the Commission is actively assisting the joint task force with the preparation of the proposal for a minor with the goal of submitting it to the University Faculty Senate in spring 2005. Currently, fifteen courses have been identified. The joint task force of the College of Health and Human Development and the College of the Liberal Arts will be presenting the proposal for the minor to the associate deans of the Colleges and then to the faculty senate. Work is also underway to certify the courses under the new General Education diversity requirement.

3. Supporting the leadership development of LGBT students. The Commission is contributing financial support for a LGBT student leadership training retreat in spring 2005.

4. Collaborating with the other Commissions on issues of mutual concern. The chairs of the Commissions meet monthly to discuss issues and strategies and to provide counsel and support to each other.
   

1 The Commission's Bylaws were updated March 2007. - [PDF]

For more information about the Commission and its activities, please call 814-863-7696.

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