About
Purpose
In order to advance pluralism, acknowledge a scholarly area of investigation, and deepen learning in higher education, as educational professionals we need to expand our circle of inclusion and broaden our definition of diversity by increasing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Studies.
Although some colleges and universities have been incorporating LGBTQ studies for decades, courses and programs continue to be pockets of innovation rather than models of inclusion for all of higher education.
Colleges and universities need to encourage faculty members to teach and research a wide range of LGBTQ topics as well as support student life professionals in building inclusive campus communities.
Through the Expanding the Circle 2012 Summer Institute, we will examine strategies and best practices that effectively integrate LGBTQ areas of teaching and research with student life activities. Faculty development plays a critical role in this integration: faculty members, whether part of the LGBTQ community themselves or not, need to examine their own attitudes and feelings about LGBTQ issues as they seek to incorporate these issues more fully into their courses and curricula.
History of Expanding the Circle
Expanding the Circle 2010 and 2011 were among the first national conferences in higher education focusing on LGBTQ issues. More than 600 individuals from more than 200 institutions of learning have attended over the first two years. The first two conferences sought connections across academic and student affairs, across kinds of diversities, across disciplines, and across LGBTQ subfields. The 2012 Summer Institute is a continuation of these important dialogues. Until we collaborate on LBGTQ studies and co-curricular activities within and across our colleges and universities, we cannot create inclusive and welcoming learning environments.
Summer Institute Audience
This program is designed for academic deans and administrators, faculty and faculty development specialists, student life professionals, and campus counselors. Through this gathering, we will engage in a heartfelt dialogue. Goals of the 2012 Summer Institute will include creating greater inclusion for all members of our campus communities, and enriching the quality of education and scholarship in higher education.
Summer Institute Themes
Throughout the three-day Institute we will direct our attention to best practices and initiatives in higher education regarding the following:
- Faculty development and queering the curriculum
- Institute-wide policy development and implementation
- Integrating student life, student services, and co-curricular activities on campus
- Research and LGBTQ studies
National Advisory Committee
Genny Beemyn, Director, The Stonewall Center; University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Billy Curtis, Executive Director of Multicultural, Sexuality and Gender Centers; University of California, Berkeley
Gilbert Herdt, Founder and Professor, Sexuality Studies Department; San Francisco State University
John Hawley, Professor of English; Santa Clara University
Luke Jensen, Director, Office of LGBT Equity; University of Maryland, College Park
Sharon Marcus, Orlando Harriman Professor of English and Comparative Literature; Columbia University
Pauline Park, Chair; New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy (NYAGRA)
Susan Rankin, Research Associate, Center for the Study of Higher Education, and Associate Professor of Education, College Student Affairs Program; The Pennsylvania State University
Shiva Subbaraman, Director of LGBTQ Resource Center; Georgetown University
Joseph L. Subbiondo, President; California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)
Steven Tierney, Member of San Francisco Health Commission; Chair, Counseling Psychology Department and Community Mental Health Program; CIIS
Nancy Jean Tubbs, Director of LGBT Center; University of California, Riverside
View the Upcoming Conference Schedule
