One week remains to help decide the new name of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services. The survey to rename the office closes Oct. 7.
After 22 years as the GLBT office, it could become the Queer Culture Center, Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, Pride Center or LGBTQ+ Center.
Office staff created an online survey to gauge the sentiments of those they serve. Office Supervisor Jamie Bartzel said they encourage people of all ages, orientations and expressions to voice their preference.
The survey can be anonymous and requires about 15 minutes to complete.
Not only does the survey ask takers to rank the given name options, but it goes on to ask how they would feel if each name were chosen.
Examples of questions include if respondants “think it’s a place for someone like me,” feel they will “be treated with respect by office staff” and think they might “attend events sponsored by this office.”
Survey-takers can select their position, from strongly disagree to strongly agree, on those prompts and more.
Though renaming is the focus of the survey, it goes beyond that to inquire more broadly about what survey-takers know about the office. Bartzel said this element is important in reassessing what and how the office publicizes.
The office staff wants people to know they provide everything from refreshments for visitors to HIV testing.
The office plans to conduct a focus group after results have been collected and analyzed. The group will comprise partially of those who indicate interest by providing their email addresses in the survey.
While Bartzel said she enjoyed researching what similar centers around the United States call themselves, she said she looks forward to finally crunching the data.
A great deal of work will have to happen quickly once the office selects the new name, Bartzel said, referring to the new printed materials within the office, the sign just outside the office and promotional products around the community. She said she knows she will answer the phone incorrectly for a while.
The survey can be found at tinyurl.com/glbtoffice.
