Editor, Daily Nexus:

On Monday, April 9, Associated Students Finance Board rejected funding for six students to attend a conference at the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies. The conference is specifically designed to help students and administration implement a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) division of studies. This is extremely important because in the 1998-99 school year students organized a walkout and made several demands on UCSB – one of which was the addition of a LGBT division of studies. However, since then there has been little progress. There is no LGBT minor yet offered at UCSB.

The students that Finance Board denied were students that have and will continue working toward the creation of a LGBT minor. Though there is a website that addresses and offers information for those interested in the minor, Finance Board doesn’t feel that this has been open to many students.

We are writing this letter to open up the discussion and ask people to question the procedures of both Finance Board and the process of getting a LGBT minor on campus.

In regard to this issue, it is clear that a LGBT minor does and will affect the entire UCSB campus for years to come. People from the LGBT community have historically been denied a voice. The lack of knowledge about their history and experience on this campus is one example of that. A LGBT minor would obviously address this, and positively influence the entire campus.

It is essential that the people who understand and are committed to this issue be allowed to move the LGBT minor forward. However, Finance Board believes that it’s more important to publicize an event and risk the failure of the LGBT minor instead of insuring its success. We are not trying to prevent people from getting involved in this issue; it affects all of us. In fact, we want to take this time to encourage more students to get involved and talk to Finance Board, Queer Commission and the administration.

Whether you’re for this progress in education, against it or simply want more information feel free to e-mail us at ucsb_queer@yahoo.com.

STEPHANIE LEROUX
CAROLINA MEDINA