Hello GLBT Aggies and Allies,



On Wednesday evening, a member of the Student Senate introduced S.B. 65-70: The GLBT Funding Opt-Out Bill. You can go here to download it. The bill proposes "allowing students who object, for religious purposes, to the use of their student fees and tuition to fund this center to opt out of paying an amount equal to their share of the Center's funding from their fee and tuition bills." The author suggests that students have the religious right to "opt-out" of the student fees that go towards maintaining the GLBT Resource Center.

This is not the first time this has happened. Our resources were not dispensable in the 63rd session, and they're not dispensable now in the 65th session. As a student body we all contribute funds to various campus resources that we do not all use. We do this to better the environment in which we all have our academic experiences. It is offensive and unacceptable to mask this discriminatory bill against our community as an issue of religion. It is unfair to make our resource an "option".



We have to stand up, together, in opposition to this attack on our community's resource. Get the word out to your friends, make this go viral inside and outside of our circles. On , at 7:00pm, there is an open forum in Koldus 144 where students and community can speak directly to the Senate. Aggie Allies has put out a call to action as well as Pride Community Center. We need you all there! Open forum will be the Wednesday of GLBT Awareness Week. EVERYBODY needs to be present. We will be peaceful, but we will be seen. Now is an important time to reach out to our senators, departments, adminstrators, etc... (Y)our stories are powerful, use them!



Join us tomorrow night for an "Action Plan Meeting" at Fuddruckers on Harvey Rd. in College Station at 6:30pm. This will be a couple hours after our Big Event service project ends.



Sincerely,





Kimberly J. Villa

PResident of GLBT Aggies

Community Health '14

glbtaggies@gmail.com