The Lesbian and Gay Student Alliance office is more efficient and more people are involved following last semester's restructuring, members say. And a new semester has presented a series of goals for the group, including the fair housing issue.

Last semester, LGSA created two separate departments -- a social and educational group and a political group meeting. The organization's first meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15 in 131 Human Development, South, with the political group gathering first.

"If we're not visible . . . we're not going to help anybody," said Lora Nace, co-director for the political division of LGSA. Part of LGSA's purpose, she said, is to advocate for the rights of gay men and lesbians at the University.

As part of restructuring, LGSA also replaced the traditional structure of leadership with a new one that calls for two co-directors for the political division and two for the social and educational division, said Matt Beiler, co-director of the social and educational division of LSGA.

The structure mandates equal representation of men and women, although the organization is presently more than 50 percent male, Nace said.

This structure was designed to attract people -- especially women -- who were uncomfortable with LGSA's formal structure and political emphasis, Nace said.

LGSA's social group, which is more relaxed, will sponsor dances, a future film series and discussion groups, Nace said.

"The restructuring is going really great," Beiler said. "The women just add a lot."

Having more women involved in LGSA makes the group more of a coalition for the gay community, Beiler said.

Jeff McCarty, political group co-director, said the organization's first priority will be any new fair housing ordinance proposals.

"We're going to be moving real fast on that," McCarty said, describing any proposal as an emergency priority for the group. McCarty said he plans to talk to the mayor, State College Borough Council members and community members about any planned ordinance.

LGSA also hopes to work with the University administration on how the Acts of Intolerance are implemented and enforced.

"(The Acts of Intolerance) can be inconsistent in terms of who gets punished and who doesn't; some things are followed up on and some aren't," Nace said.

Most members would prefer that a committee decides what constitutes an Act of Intolerance, Nace said. Such incidents are currently handled through the Campus Life Assistance Center.

Nace said she also would like to see the phone numbers for the LGSA office and the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual switchboard included in all orientation information packets provided by the University to incoming freshmen.

One of the social and educational group's goals is to change attitudes toward gay men and lesbians among members of the University community, Beiler said.

"The major importance of education is to get people to realize that gay, lesbian and bisexual people are just that -- people," Beiler said.

The Straight Talk program will help continue this education push, he said.

During a Straight Talk discussion, LGSA members talk to heterosexual students, faculty or staff about the members' experiences coming-out as gay men and lesbians.

"The purpose of Straight Talks is to dispel the stereotypes about gay and lesbian people," Nace said.

On Jan. 19, LGSA member will travel to Lock Haven University to conduct a Straight Talk discussion with resident assistants there.

Organizations at the University who wish to participate in a Straight Talk discussion can contact the LGSA office in 224 HUB or call at 865- 3327 to set up a time and place, Beiler said.

Beiler's other goal is to have dances every three weeks.

The social division will begin the semester with a Gay Nineties dance on Jan. 21 at Mr. C's, 112 W. College Ave., Beiler said.