Vol. 38, No. 18

2-15-2007
By: Julia Harris

GLBT support group changes name to OSU’s PrideNetwork

The Association of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Faculty and Staff at OSU has changed its name to OSU's PrideNetwork to help give the organization a better identity.

Scott DeWitt, associate professor of English and member of the group’s steering committee, says the new name brings a renewed focus on creating a sense of unity for the university’s GLBT population.

Knit together primarily through an e-mail listserv that DeWitt manages, the PrideNetwork is an informal community that serves as a resource for addressing GLBT concerns relevant to OSU staff and faculty.

DeWitt says the organization hopes the name change will make more people aware of its presence on campus.

“Our visibility has always been tied to what’s going on around campus, or in Columbus, or across the state,” DeWitt explains. “If there’s no big controversial issue that everyone’s thinking and talking about, we tend to fade into the background. We need to keep making connections and reaching out.”

Members receive announcements of campus events and relevant political and university issues, such as domestic partner benefits. The group also interacts with Human Resources to share GLBT concerns and communicate HR policy to the membership.

DeWitt, who has been on the steering committee since 1993, has seen the all-volunteer organization go through a number of changes, including membership. There are currently 180 names registered on the listserv and 19 steering committee members. DeWitt is the only one who has access to those names, so the group is able to promise anonymity to people who want it.

Deb Ballam, associate provost and director of The Women’s Place, has been a member of the PrideNetwork since its inception.

“It’s important to me to feel part of the organized GLBT community at Ohio State because the organized group makes a statement to the university community that we are here, we are proud and we are an important part of the overall community,” Ballam says.

DeWitt and Ballam agree that good communication and mutual respect have been key to the group’s success in achieving gains in same-sex partner and family benefits at the university.

DeWitt encourages interested faculty and staff to check out the PrideNetwork and its activities. At a recent event, Lynn Bowman of Equality Ohio, a human rights lobbying organization, spoke about how the results of the November elections would affect the community.

“Finding and connecting with people will make this group stronger and more effective on campus,” DeWitt says.

For more information or to be added to the listserv, e-mail DeWitt at dewitt.18@osu.edu or Jack Miner at miner.10@osu.edu.

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