Virginia Tech: Straight White Males Welcome!

[13788]

mindseye: Hey, folks -- anyone want to hire an experienced teacher with mad computer skills?? I'm looking...

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The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors held a meeting while the campus community was on Spring Break last week. During this meeting, they took three drastic steps that overwhelmingly chill the climate at this already-conservative university:

• They removed sexual orientation from the University's non-discrimination clause. This motion was not listed on the board's meeting agenda, and has not been formally publicized on the university's web site
• They removed race and gender as factors in determining admissions and financial aid.
• They denied a tenure-track position to a lesbian faculty member that had been hired by the English Department, offering her only a one-year, non-tenure-track position instead.

I'm encouraging folks to write the BOV and complain -- especially if you're Virginia Tech alumni:

[tt]John G Rocovich, Jr.
Rector, Board of Visitors,
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA 24061[/tt]

I'm currently bound by a contract through June, 2004. I've made the decision to definitely leave at the end of the contract. If I can make sure that I can do so legally, I might even leave before then.

This really really sucks.

 

[MisterMark]

That definitely sucks, mindseye. I'll send them a little note to let them know what I think of their decision.

I'm not sure what's going on... In Minnesota, lawmakers are planning to drop domestic-partners benefits for state employees (or maybe they've already done it - I'm not sure). They said that because of the budget crisis, they "can't afford it." What a crock! Why don't they cut EVERYBODY'S benefits equally?! I really thought that gays and lesbians were gaining more and more equality, but I guess I was wrong.

 

[13788]

miniver_cheevy: Dear Mindseye,

I just wrote and posted a nasty (not too nasty) letter to Mr. Rocovich. I didn't mention your name or anything (of course) so don't worry. I can't believe. Come move to Boston. It is very decent up here compared to the black depths of ol' Virginie.

Bill

 

[13788]

miniver_cheevy: I am also posting it to some DC boards that I know. Dang, this kind of stuff makes me steam. I'll bet anything he is a fat, SUV-driving slob and the only hope for these guys is death.

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

Heath, I forwarded your post to lots of friends, so Mr. Rocovich will be hearing from plenty of outraged people: gay, straight, male, female ... even a couple of Rpublicans! I wish I knew of a job opening down here at Tulane for you! (If you did find a job in New Orleans, you'd be more than welcome to stay with Dirk and me 'til you found your own digs, bud!)

 

[jonb]

This doesn't surprise me. There's been a recent push to make the rich WASP hetero-male look like the victim.

 

[13788]

7x6andchg: Marko-

From what I hear, living in W Wisconsin, the MN budget bill with the same-sex benefits removed is likely to happen just that way. I think it's a crock too.  I know plenty of married homosexual couples that are a LOT more stable and deserving of benefits than some hetero couples I know.

As for VTU - well, call me Yankee smug up here in 'Sconny, but - what does one expect from a bastion of the "Old Dominion" (kidding - no state is exempt from being the governmental equivalent of a jerk, as the North Star State can attest to)....in all seriousness, best of luck to you Mindseye, I hope you find someplace that is more accepting and deserves your talents.

I know I went to a Catholic university where one of my tenured professors was a gay man. Given the religious affiliation, THAT surprised me.

7x6&C

 

[Synergistic]

I live in Roanoke, VA so these policies have been front page news, and I have absolutely problem with the affirmative action programs being cut, because its discrimination, its treating someone different based on their gender or race. Discrimination is wrong, and I believe that everyone should be required to get in on thier own achievements.

 

[13788]

mindseye: I'm not completely in agreement with you, Neal, but I respect that viewpoint.

Two breaks in the story occurred yesterday.

1: The last measure -- the one that requires all groups wishing to assemble on campus to obtain written permission 30 days in advance -- was struck down as (obviously) unconstitutional.

2: Although the other three measures currently stand, the Univeristy has called for the Board of Visitors to reconvene on Sunday, April 6, to reconsider them.

 

[MisterMark]

Neal, I agree with you that everyone should be judged on their abilities and not on their race or sexual orientation, but I DO think it's very important, if for nothing more than symbolic reasons, to state that the University does not discriminate against any group.

Even if they don't list every conceivable group, I think it's important to at least say that the university believes in equality for everyone.

 

[jonb]

Well, here in Cali, they recently ruled that even advertising in Ebony is racial preference. For some reason, advertising in Guns and Ammo isn't.

 

[13788]

mindseye: In the face of overwhelming opposition from students, faculty, alumni, corporate donors, and other interested parties, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors today -- by a margin of only one vote -- rescinded all of the policies that were established on March 10.

There's still work to be done here, but for now, I'm happy.

 

[MisterMark]

That's great, mindseye. So does this mean you're going to continue working there, or do you still want to get out of Blacksburg?

 

[13788]

mindseye: I'm still leaving -- my contract won't be up for another year anyway. Even though we 'won' on this issue, the way that it happened -- even the fact that it happened -- is pretty distasteful to me.