QSU News: March 2010

Please Consider Voting | Polls Open March 30 – April 1 | Vote on www.getinvolved.purdue.edu

Statement

The LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Asexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, and Ally) community is well-known for voting at a high rate. The Queer Student Union has hundreds of members on our Facebook group and email listserv. In order to better ensure informed voting, the Queer Student Union has decided to release a voter's guide.

Candidate comments appear in alphabetical order after the candidate answer chart.

Questions

Question 1: Purdue is the only Big Ten University that doesn't include Gender Identity and Expression in its Nondiscrimination Policy. Do you support adding Gender Identity and Expression to Purdue’s Nondiscrimination Policy?

Question 2: Do you support the idea of professional staff for LGBTQ issues considering Purdue University is the only Big Ten University without professional support?

Question 3: Do you support the creation of a Student Director of Diversity within the Purdue Student Government?

Question 4: Do you support increasing the number of single-use, gender-neutral bathrooms on campus?

Question 5: Do you support making campus more disability-accessible as part of Purdue's commitment to diversity?

Candidate Answers

Candidates	Question 1	Question 2	Question 3	Question 4	Question 5
President / Vice President
Brad Krites/Jamie Steiner*	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Will Baldwin/Eddie Van Bogaert*	Yes**	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Agriculture
Emily Dieckmann	-	-	-	-	-
Laura Ann Donaldson	-	-	-	-	-
Brittany Sparkman	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Education	No	Candidate	Responded
Consumer and Family Sciences	No	Candidate	Responded

Engineering
Melissa Perram*	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Katherine Horton*	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Joseph Carr*	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rameshwar Hudiara	-	-	-	-	-
James Giberson	-	-	-	-	-
Mazen Sami El-Afifi	-	-	-	-	-

Liberal Arts
Melissa Dunn	-	-	-	-	-
Nick DeBoer*	Yes	Yes	Yes, If Necessary	Yes	Yes
Valencia Harvey*	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes

PNHS
Ashley Comparet	-	-	-	-	-
Ziang Chen*	Yes	Not Right Now	Yes	No	Yes

Management
Matt Swiontek*	Yes	Not Right Now	Research Needed	Not Right Now	Yes
Zachary Briggs	-	-	-	-	-
Brittany Truax	-	-	-	-	-

Science
Samantha Carney	-	-	-	-	-
Allison Mankus*	Yes	No	No	No	Yes

Technology	No	Candidate	Responded
USP	No	Candidate	Responded

*indicates additional comments which may be viewed in the “Candidate Comments” section

**Eddie Van Bogaert was a co-sponsor of the PSG Resolution urging Purdue University to add Gender Identity and Expression to its Nondiscrimination Policy.

-Did not respond

Presidential Candidate Comments (Alphabetical Order)

Baldwin / Van Bogaert:

Not only does our ticket support all of these proposals, we have been actively campaigning on them throughout the week. I can guarantee you that if elected, our administration will be one of the strongest advocates for LGBTQ rights ever in student government.

Krites / Steiner:

While neither of us had voting privileges in Senate this year, both Jamie and I supported the bill for these changes to the policy. And, we would continue to voice our support upon election.

While we were researching our platform, we met with Dr. Christine Taylor to discuss our ideas and the needs of this campus. I was able to bring up the topic of hiring a professional staff member to focus on LGBTQ issues. She told me to call her if we got elected to start working toward this.

Managing diversity is an issue on every college campus. And, if President Córdova was willing to create a new position (Chief Diversity Officer) and fill it with Dr. Taylor, we believe that this decision should be mirrored from a student perspective. We would fully support creating an Executive Director for Respect and Equality within PSG.

Senate Candidate Comments (Alphabetical Order)

Carr, Joseph:

Q4) Campus should be a comfortable place for everyone.

Q5) Purdue’s campus can even be intimidating for those on crutches.

Overall) As one of the senators for the college of engineering, I’ll represent the student body and help voice their opinions. If you ever have any great ideas or concerns, I’ll be there! Everyone should be comfortable on campus. Go Boilers!

Chen, Ziang:

Q1) Purdue’s clause for student organizations does include sexual orientation… I have not read its nondiscrimination policy.

Q2) Again Purdue is one of those schools without a lot of the things that other Big Ten school has. This would require additional staffing and the money would only send up our tuition rates. At the current economy it would not be a good idea to invest in such a large project. However, when circumstances are better I don’t see why not.

Q3) Purdue is one of the most diverse college campuses in the country. If others have one then Purdue definitely needs one. Although I don’t know what the job what entail for him/her considering there is a diversity office here…

Q4) I don’t believe that is necessary. The current amount is fine and the extra ones would just take up space where other things can be located.

Q5) Purdue does a good enough job. If there are places where its not accessible, that definitely needs to be fixed. Otherwise I don’t see any issues with the current accessibility considering I’m not disabled. However, I would love to have input about it, if it is such an issue.

Overall) Purdue is a diverse community and there are definitely things that are needed to make everyone included and develop its own world inside this larger world. It takes one step after another to get change to happen, by making people feel more inclusive, such is possible. Everything that I want to do while on PSG is to make the world smaller for everyone. Make more things that will help benefit each other and help relate to each other through student organizations and other networks of communication.

DeBoer, Nick:

Q1) I am embarrassed that this question must be asked in 2010, of course I support adding Gender Identity to the Purdue Nondiscrimination Policy. I have worked with Senator Vanbogaert in the initial passing, and was in attendance for the Purdue ACLU upon its passage in the Purdue Student Senate this year. I will work to ensure that the Trustees adopt the measure and ensure its successful implementation.

Q2) I support the idea, and am sure it would be of great asset for students seeking their support. My only concern would be whether there is available funding in our current circumstances to afford a full time staff. That said, if presented with the opportunity to implement such a staff, I would be in complete support.

Q3) I want PSG to work for the students in the most efficient and direct manner possible. Therefore, I would first ensure that the current executive director positions are not fulfilling the duties this office would hold. If such a position had a well laid out agenda, and a competent individual appointed to the role, who was knowledgeable of the diversity issues on campus, then I would support the amendment processes by which to create the position, and would work to confirm the appointment.

Q4) Yes, of course. Gender-natural bathrooms are common sense, and should not be seen as just an LGBTQ issue. Fathers who must accompany their young daughters in the bathroom, or mothers accompanying their sons, also face the same issue of a lack of gender-neutral washrooms. Working to expand the availability of these washrooms would assist the entire community, and I therefore support their expansion and implementation.

Q5) As a general philosophy I do, though I must admit some ignorance as to what the current issues prove problematic and what solutions Purdue Student Government can assist in correcting. All new buildings should, and must, meet ADA standards. We will continue working to keep our university accessible, and should issues arise with accessibility, I am always willing to listen and seek solutions that our student government can implement.

Overall) I simply want to thank QSU and the entire Ally community for the work you do here at Purdue. I have been President of the Purdue American Civil Liberties Union for two years now, and am aware of many of the issues that continue to affect this campus. You will always have my ear in working through, and addressing problems. Be sure to vote March 30th through Thursday, April 1st on GetInvolved, Purdue's student activity website (www.getinvolved.purdue.edu). Best, Nicholas DeBoer

Harvey, Valencia:

Q1) No group should be excluded from any institution’s discriminatory policies. Purdue should acknowledge possible discrimination within this category.

Q2) Other minority groups or underrepresented organizations have professional staff, so I don’t see why LGBTQ should not have professional support.

Q3) Diversity is the core of understanding others and working with others regardless of differences. I think it would be good asset to PSG.

Horton, Katherine:

Q1) I would definitely support adding Gender Identity and Expression to Purdue’s Nondiscrimination Policy because I believe that it is not fair for individuals to be judged and discriminated against simply for not fitting the narrow stereotype of what it means to be a man or a woman.

Q2) I support the use of a LGBTQ professional staff because it never hurts to have guidance and encouragement from an experienced authority, especially in student organizations.

Q3) Purdue Student Government could definitely progress with the addition of a Student Director of Diversity, since Purdue is such a unique and diverse campus with 6,000 international students from 126 different countries. These students deserve a government representative to act and promote legislation in their best interests, along with disabled and minority students.

Q4) Our campus could really use more single-use, gender-neutral bathrooms because it would display Purdue’s interest in achieving a nondiscriminatory attitude regarding gender identity and expression. I highly support increasing the number of gender-neutral bathrooms because it would both benefit students and progress Purdue’s diversity-related actions.

Q5) Having several personal experiences with disabilities, I am a big supporter of making campus more accessible for disabled students and faculty. A commitment to diversity is not complete without providing equal options for all our diverse students, especially those with both visible and non-visible disabilities. Several of the buildings on campus have stairwell-entrances, which pose a challenge for students and faculty who have difficulty walking. Purdue did a great job building the ramp to Lily, but there is a still long way to go in achieving a campus that is completely disability-accessible.

Overall) As a College of Engineering Senator, I would provide responsible leadership for all Engineering students and disciplines. My biggest concern is ensuring that the opinions, ideas, and complaints of students are heard by the University and are addressed appropriately. School is my number one priority, along with many other Engineering students, and I believe that we should have a larger influence on the college’s policies and actions. As a Senator I would be constantly serving and representing all Engineering students, and act in their best interest. The relations between Engineering faculty and students outside of the classroom would be improved by encouraging the individual schools and their organizations to provide student/faculty social events. Finally, I would support and develop beneficial legislation for both the College of Engineering and Purdue as a whole.

Mankus, Allison:

Q1) I believe that no student should be discriminated against. I would have voted for adding in political identity and gender identity/expression to the nondiscrimination policy in PSG senate had I been present. I believe, however, these policies have no real teeth. As a conservative Republican, I have been discriminated against by a professor in a class before and it was an unfortunate situation. Had the policy included political affiliation, I still do not believe it would have changed the situation. As I said, I don’t believe anyone should be discriminated against; however, that’s life.

Q2) This is an inappropriate use of funds in an economically difficult time. We need to focus on academics- bringing in better professors, improving curricula, etc. If we had support staff for one community, then everyone should have a support staff. Just because one is straight does not mean one does not need support. So no, I do not support giving a single community benefits.

Q3) The idea of forced diversity sickens me. Diversity is more than having x number of students of one race and y number of students of a certain persuasion. I do not agree with fostering diversity in this manner.

Q4) That is unnecessary and a highly irresponsible use of money in this economically difficult time.

Q5) Of course, not in terms for diversity, but just for accessibility for any student seeking an education. As a biology student, I’ve seen first-hand how inaccessible Lilly Hall is for those who are physically disabled. I definitely support making this campus more accessible to those with disabilities.

Perram, Melissa:

Q1) As the current Senator for the College of Engineering, I voted in favor of the resolution passed, through PSG, in support of this change.

Q3) I support the creation of a Student Director of Diversity and believe this position would be beneficial to the organization.

Overall) VOTE PERRAM FOR:
**********************************************
Continued support to increase funding for student organizations
Opposing additional student fees
Enhance PSG and Engineering organization relations

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PERRAM PSG RESUME:
1.) Planned and responsible for hosting the first Freezing 5K in support of Engineers Week
2.) Chair of Internal & Finance Affairs committee. Responsible for editing PSG election rules and bylaws.
3.) Provided student input on the "University Educational & Policy Committee"
4.) Member of the "Student Organization Grant Allocation" Board
B'Euler Up Engineers!

Swiontek, Matt:

Q1) As a safe haven for students’ learning Purdue should be a nondiscriminatory community for all people. This should be regardless of political preference, gender identity and expression. I support amending our nondiscrimination policy to include these things.

Q2) As an RA and a student at Purdue I am aware of the size and strength of the LGBTQ community. I support the many different groups that support LGBTQ individuals. This said, Purdue and our country as a whole are currently experiencing a very tough economic situation. I do not feel that Purdue should be adding any new professional staff at this time. This includes any of the new positions that have been created by Purdue in the past year.

Q3) Before expanding the PSG at all I would need more details as to the role of the new position and the ability of PSG to get these things done without a new position.

Q4) As stated previously I do not support Purdue’s funding of any unplanned renovations during the current economic position.

Q5) From my current perspective it is hard to think of a part of Purdue that is not handicap accessible. As stated before a complete overhaul at this moment is not economically feasible. That being said if there was to be a specific problem it is necessary to fix it as soon as possible.

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