Club UNITY gets approval from Abare
By Brittany Hackett | bhackett@flagler.edu
After being denied by Student Services last month, the proposal for Club UNITY has now been approved on appeal by Flagler President William T. Abare, Jr.
Chris Lauth, Club UNITY’s executive director, said it’s “wonderful” to finally have official club status on campus. The club’s focus is to “create a safe and supportive environment” for gay and lesbian students, and promote unity regardless of sexual orientation.
“It’s a relief,” Lauth said. “A lot of us are that much happier with Flagler. We went from feeling kind of pushed aside, not feeling validated as students, second-class students, to now feeling as if we’re in the crowd.”
Lauth received news of the approval through a voice mail from a friend and a letter from Abare, stating the club’s new status, was in his campus mailbox the next day.
“He’s [Abare] done a great thing,” Lauth said. “We know all of the pressures the president of a college feels on a daily basis, and so for him to stand up to this and make the right decision and do what we believe is right shows a lot.”
Abare was not available for comment as of press time. But in the approval letter to Lauth, Abare said: “After careful review of your appeal of the decision to deny approval of Club Unity, I have decided to approve your request and hereby notify you that I will authorize the establishment of Club Unity as an official student organization.”
Lauth said the next step for Club UNITY is to have regular meetings with the rest of the officers. Officer positions for the club’s Leadership Board include Lauth as executive director, Amy Hamilton as assistant director and Jessica Dalton as administrative director.
The club also has a development team, which includes Artistic Director Javaria Afghani, New Member and PR Director Nick Michalski and Events Coordinator Kimberly Carton. Professor Joe Vlah, director of the social behavioral sciences department, is the club’s faculty adviser.
According to Lauth, Club UNITY will not begin holding events until next semester. In the proposal for Club UNITY, activities such as movie nights, forums and community service activities were listed as possible options for events.
In 2004 a similar club, the Gay-Straight Alliance, was proposed and rejected in October of that year. Club UNITY was proposed in the spring of 2007 and passed through SGA in October.
Student Services announced its decision to deny Club UNITY status on Oct. 9. According to the official denial letter written by Dean of Student Services Dan Stewart, the “purpose [of the club] does not fall within the realm of the mission of the college.” Club UNITY’s proposal was then sent to Abare for a presidential appeal.
“The school recognizes us and it’s just a wonderful feeling,” Lauth said. “We’re very happy and praising President Abare for the decision and the College as well.”
As alumni, my husband and I, disagree with the previous poster. Dr. Abare might not have been available to comment for the Gargoyle piece, but he certainly provided his most important comment the day he approved the club. What else is there for him to say?
We commend Dr. Abare for approving the club and the students for their perseverance in seeking an appeal through the proper channels afforded to them. This club would have been unheard of almost 20 years ago when we attended Flagler College. This approval is about more than sexual orientation or gay rights. It is about Dr. Abare and the College providing its young adults a safe haven in which they can be themselves and dialogue with others in order to foster greater understanding. We hope all students will live up to the responsibility & opportunity granted them by the approval of the club – because through dialogue change is possible. We encourage the College to continue its acceptance of (and welcome) diversity amongst its students. And, once again, we applaud Dr. Abare.
Not available as of press time? I thought this thing came out like…every 3 weeks? How could you not get in touch with someone in three whole weeks? Besides that you only quote one person? This is big news for the students and the college and the whole community, many years coming, and the writer couldn’t be bothered to talk to more than one person?