Article - "Gay straight alliance: getting started"

The first convention of the semester for the GSA was held on the 15th of September. Among the issues disscused were the notions of how exactly to pick up momentum and publicity. This posed a challenge to the president of the six-member organization, Bethany Newton. The faculty advisor, Donna Waddell reviewed a plethora of notions on how to make this happen.

The first, and most readily obvious way to attract people is a function in which food is involved, so a pizza party and movie night may be approaching. Also, a web page should be up and running soon. The next notion, already in the works, is to get the student body more accustomed to the basic idea behind the GSA by having a lecture on sexual diversity on Oct. 30 in the Newton Oaks building.

Something else that gives credit to the GSA is diversity week. While an exact date is not yet known, members are looking forward to this event for publicity. While all of these attractions are going to bring light to this organization, none will draw more attention than special guest speaker Jeff Cleghorn. What’s so special about this guest speaker?

He graduated from this college, and is former president of Sigma Chi fraternity, not to mention being considered an exemplary cadet. While carrying out military duties in the Pentagon, Jeff Cleghorn decided that he needed to be true to himself and acknowledge his sexuality, even if it put a screeching halt to his hopes for a military career. All members of GSA are looking forward to his return but worry that he may be treated with the same hostility and discrimination that he was treated with after his last speech here, by members of Sigma Chi. Nonetheless, on Oct. 9th, he will be here yet again to speak, at 12:45 in the Student Center Auditorium.

Anyone and everyone is invited to attend, free of charge although some of the members of this organization feel that perhaps some of the students would feel particularly threatened if their peers knew that they were attending the meetings on campus.

It is also suspicious that perhaps some people who would normally attend such a meeting didn’t because they felt unsafe about doing it on campus. This, among other things, they feel is one of the reasons the organization is so small. Therefore, they are considering relocating their meetings to a church in town.

The GSA is also worried that their word is not necessarily reaching everyone on campus, because many of their flyers have been taken down in the Student Center. Because of this, they are reaching everyone by email, and encourage anyone that is curious to contact them. Their email address is northgeorgiagsa@yahoo.com. - Lara Moore, The North Georgia College and State University Voice, Sept 25 2003