STRAIGHT might limit membership

At STRAIGHT's Undergraduate Student Government Supreme Court hearing, the organization's president, Darin Loccarini, said any person could join the group.

Since that time, he said he has changed his mind.

At the first official meeting of Students Reinforcing Adherence In General Heterosexual Tradition last week, Loccarini said he realized allowing members of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance into STRAIGHT would be "problematic." He plans to block them from becoming members, he said, although he will not say how.

The presence of a member of the Coalition of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Graduate Students and members of the LGBSA including Duane Gildea, political co-director of LGBSA, at STRAIGHT's meeting brought the issue of membership to a head.

The group's constitution states "only current University employed faculty and staff and currently registered students shall be eligible for (active or voting) membership." The constitution could not be checked during the meeting because no one had a copy.

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and their supporters will not affect STRAIGHT's future, Loccarini said.

"LGBSA members are not going to have an impact on STRAIGHT," he said.

During a break in the meeting, Laura Hennessey, educational committee chair of LGBSA, added her name to the list of STRAIGHT's members. Hennessey was still not allowed to vote on the only issue STRAIGHT decided on during the meeting -- the endorsement of Loccarini and Christopher Pirrotta for USG president and vice president, Loccarini said.

"I was really disappointed. I've been around as long as those other STRAIGHT guys have been around," said Hennessey, who attended STRAIGHT's first meeting before the group was officially sanctioned.

Hennessey technically should have been able to vote, Loccarini said later, but he did not let her vote because he and the officers plan to change the constitution so people can only sign up to be members after a meeting.

"I give Darin the benefit of the doubt," Hennessey said. "I know he's struggling and whatever his reasons were (for not letting me vote) -- I can let that go that one time."

But Loccarini plans on never letting any member of LGBSA vote in future elections, he said, because of his planned restriction.

"If he attempts to do that, I'm going to raise hell," Hennessey said.

Any official University organization must let anyone join its organization, said Bryan Weis, associate justice on the USG Supreme Court. Exceptions for honor fraternities and religious groups can be made, he said.

LGBSA, instead of attempting to appeal STRAIGHT's charter, is taking another route to deadlock it, Loccarini said. His reaction was indifference.

"It makes them look like scum," he said. "It makes them look like they'll stop at nothing to try to stop somebody from opposing them on a fair playing ground."

No members of STRAIGHT will try to deadlock LGBSA, Loccarini said, because it would be "stooping down to their level."

However, Hennesey and Gildea said they do not want to deadlock STRAIGHT.

"Darin thinks I'll be trying to deadlock him. But I would have voted with the majority (to endorse Loccarini and Pirrotta)," Hennesey said. "I'm not out to get him as much as he thinks."

The true colors and plans of this organization may be coming out now, Gildea said.

"I'm wondering if we're starting to see the true side of this organization," Gildea said. "They who fought for a voice are refusing to allow dissenting voices to be allowed in their organization."