U-m Starts Search For Lgmpo Director
FROM THE GRASSROOTS
U-M STARTS SEARCH FOR LGMPO DIRECTOR
The Co-Coordinator leadership structure (one man, one woman) of the Lesbian-Gay Male Programs Office is now in jeopardy. In early December, the U-M administration announced that a search would soon begin to find a "Director" for LGMPO.
The administration is taking advantage of the position opening created by the resignation of Billie Edwards, former LGMPO Co-Coordinator, to make the structural change. Their proposed move would dismantle a leadership structure that was created (and has been maintained) in the interest of gender parity, since LGMPO was founded in 1971. While a single directorship may be bureaucratically efficient, it would compromise gender parity and the functional leadership of LGMPO. Further, such leadership would be seriously inimical to the concerns of the tri-polar sexual orientation of LGMPO's constituency. (Please note that while bisexual concerns are not currently reflected in LGMPO's title, the title will soon be formally changed.)
Jim Toy, current full -time LGMPO Co-Coordinator, has stated that in his opinion the continuation of the Co-Coordinatorship would be in the best interest of LGMPO. If, however, the administration's proposal to appoint a single Director becomes a practical reality, Toy hopes that the new Director will be a lesbian or bisexual woman of color.
Whether the vacant position is filled by a new Co-Coordinator or a Director, the person hired will need to evince solid qualities of leadership, including: acceptable levels of future vision; a commitment to clearly-stated goals and positive, possible, action-oriented objectives; a command of abstract reasoning and concrete detail; clear and fluent oral and writing skills; honest, open, and consistent sharing of information; experience working in a complex organization; willingness to delegate tasks and oversee the accomplishment of them; efficient self-management; efficient and empathetic management of others; and a respectful demeanor toward bureaucratic superiors, peers, and subordinates. These are qualities, of course, that any or upper-level University administrator should possess.
It is essential that the "new hire" have a history of: advocating for the rights and concerns of lesbigay people; educating heterosexual individuals and groups about lesbigay issues; working with student organizations; and providing educational and social programming. The person hired will also need to have thorough training and experience in crisis counseling, group facilitation, and the training of peer educators, counselors, and group workers.
The new LGMPO administrator must have a working knowledge of the many different facets of the lesbigay community and respect for them, including differences of: sexual orientation; gender; race and ethnicity; educational, social, and economic class; physical and mental ability; religious belief; political belief; and degrees of closetedness and outness. And perhaps above all, the new worker will need to be positively lesbigay in regard to self and others. That person must relate with empathy and understanding to the needs and concerns of our sisters and brothers who are struggling with self-hatred, self-doubt or confusion about about their sexual orientation (which may lead, as we well know, to self-isolation, the establishment of dysfunctional intimate relationships, substance abuse, or suicidal thought and behavior).
If the University administration institutes and carries through a sincere and well-crafted national search, a pool of acceptable candidates should emerge.
To express your concerns, contact Richard Carter, Associate Dean, Office of Student Affairs, 764-7420; and LGMPO, 763-4186.
As we move into 1994, the year of "Stonewall 25," the future of LGMPO depends upon your watchful support. We all must be vigilant to endeavor to help ensure that the LGMPO's visibility, direction, role, functions, programs, safe environment, and budget are maintained. Best wishes to everyone! And thanks for your help in 1993!
Gay Liberation Front's Purpose is to provide information, counseling, and related social services for people concerned about sexual orientation. We maintain a hotline for crisis intervention, peer counseling and referral. We help provide factual information to offset prejudice and misinformation about Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexual people. We work to obtain human and civil rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation. We help organize groups for Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexual people and are a link to other community groups.
Community Services include: a Hotline for crisis intervention, peer counseling, referral. Educatlon: workshops and conferences on concerns of Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexual people with an emphasis on how people in the "helping professions" and "teaching professions" can work positively with clients, patients, & students who are Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexual people. Speakers Bureau: phone for information. Human & Civil Rights: information and referral to help people who are being discriminated against because of their actual or presumed sexual orientation or because of their presumed "cross-gender" characteristics; lobbying for human and civil rights. Community Organization and Liaison: information and assistance in organizing groups, setting goals, addressing conflict, linking with other groups and resources.
Gay Liberation Front Meetings vary according to purpose; we do most of our work in subcommittees (counseling, groupwork, education, civil rights). Call for time and place. Gay Liberation Front includes U-M students, staff, faculty and people from the larger communities. We have a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. We're a registered nonprofit organization.
Gay Liberation Front, c/o 3116 Michigan Union, 530 S. State, Ann Arbor, Ml 48109-1349; 763-4186.