Br. Ronald, cabinet meet with GSA
Jose Alvarez
Issue date: 11/17/09 Section: News
The Gay-Straight Alliance's (GSA) meeting last Monday featured some VIP guests. President Brother Ronald Gallagher and his cabinet attended the weekly meeting to address diversity issues on campus. Cabinet members asked students how they were working to improve the campus atmosphere.
Gallagher explained that he wants to work together with the club to improve the campus. "It is important for the GSA to push me and Saint Mary's to fulfill their (social justice) obligations to the students," Gallagher said.
Likewise, Vice Provost for Student Life Jane Camarillo said the College is serious about maintaining an inclusive community. "We should keep Residence Life accountable for acts of intolerance that happen within the dorms," Camarillo said.
The club also had a chance to raise its concerns. "The GSA wants everyone on campus to go through the Safe Zone training, in order to enlighten students, faculty and staff about LGBTQIA issues," GSA Vice President of Administration Alyssa Sonksen '10 said. Such training "would be very beneficial because it would give students the language to have respectful conversations with," she added.
GSA members and several other students stressed that the club was very important in fostering the diversity needed on campus, especially in light of the recent visit from WASC. The GSA and the Black Student Union (BSU) held rallies in October after unidentified people wrote hate speech on their respective posters.
Gallagher explained that he wants to work together with the club to improve the campus. "It is important for the GSA to push me and Saint Mary's to fulfill their (social justice) obligations to the students," Gallagher said.
Likewise, Vice Provost for Student Life Jane Camarillo said the College is serious about maintaining an inclusive community. "We should keep Residence Life accountable for acts of intolerance that happen within the dorms," Camarillo said.
The club also had a chance to raise its concerns. "The GSA wants everyone on campus to go through the Safe Zone training, in order to enlighten students, faculty and staff about LGBTQIA issues," GSA Vice President of Administration Alyssa Sonksen '10 said. Such training "would be very beneficial because it would give students the language to have respectful conversations with," she added.
GSA members and several other students stressed that the club was very important in fostering the diversity needed on campus, especially in light of the recent visit from WASC. The GSA and the Black Student Union (BSU) held rallies in October after unidentified people wrote hate speech on their respective posters.