President V. Lane Rawlins has announced the creation of a Commission on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation — the first such commission in Washington State University’s history. This action is in keeping with WSU’s strategic value of diversity, and its goal of achieving trust and respect in all of the university’s endeavors.
The commission is charged with:
• Representing the views, needs and concerns of the campus communities related to gender identity and sexual orientation (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, intersex, questioning, queer and allied communities.)
• Identifying and advocating for issues regarding gender identity and sexual orientation as priorities in policymaking at WSU.
• Advising the president and the vice president for Equity and Diversity on commission issues.
• Informing the campus communities about the university’s policies, initiatives, priorities and plans.
• Developing and prioritizing action items for the commission and the university from current reports and surveys, e.g. the Council on Campus Climate’s Homophobia Report and the university’s climate survey.
• Collaborating with other WSU commissions and organizations to gain respect and equity for people.
The commission will report to Rawlins and work closely with and serve as an advisory board to Michael Tate, interim vice president for Equity and Diversity.
The president will appoint 14 members to the commission, including: two undergraduate students, two graduate or professional students, two classified staff, two administrative/professionals, two faculty members, one non-campus community representative, and three liaisons from the regional campuses.
Nominations for the commission are currently being accepted. A letter of application describing qualifications, experience and interest can be sent to Tom Brigham, Office of the President, or e-mailed to brigham@mail.wsu.edu.
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