According to the recommendations released on Nov. 13, the Student Fees Advisory Committee approved the LGBTQ Center’s base augmentation request of $62,188 to support wages for employees and student workers.

The committee also approved the center’s one-time request of $12,717 to hire an additional program coordinator over the summer. A $53,768 base augmentation will serve the same purpose starting in FY 2017.

The center’s goals to provide support, resources and safe spaces for LGBTQ students on campus along with training and leadership opportunities made a good impression on SFAC during their presentation in late October, who said they were “impressed with (the LGBTQ Resource Center’s) rapid growth and exemplary performance” in the report. 

Among the base budget approvals, the committee approved the $2,500 request for mentor outings and $1,100 for Advanced Ally, a program that aims to increase safety and comfort of the LGBTQ community on campus and provide factual information and awareness for allies.

The center was also approved $1,300 for the Lavender Graduation program that found overwhelming success last May.

Only 50 attendees were expected but over 65 showed up, and the Resource Center expects the number to double by 2017.

The $3,500 request for major speakers and programs was denied because “granting additional funds to be used exclusively to bring in a better-known speaker is not fiscally justifiable under the current limited conditions,” the report stated. 

Overall, the center nearly tripled their base budget for 2017, raising their 2016 base from $33,057 to $95,245.

“The existence of your department is an indispensable component of making the University of Houston an open and accepting home for all students,” the report stated.

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“SFAC: LGBTQ Center triples base budget for 2017” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar