GLBT office honors dean of students

It wasn’t until a former student treasurer, whom Dean of Students Dick McKaig met during his first job as a campus administrator, visited him in Bloomington that McKaig realized the student was gay.

McKaig said GLBT issues were not discussed when he was young, and looking back, he said he realized his education of GLBT issues began with the student treasurer and continued with programs created by students.

“Diversity was not a part of my growing up,” he said.

On Friday, the GLBT Student Support Services Office honored McKaig at its annual luncheon for his support and alliance with the organization. 

The luncheon’s theme, “walk the walk, talk the talk ... stop being silenced,” replaced a march to celebrate the National Day of Silence, which brings attention to harassment of GLBT students in schools. The office’s outreach coordinator, Ryne Shadday, said students are comfortable with who they are and the march wasn’t really needed.

McKaig said the GLBT office arrived on campus during his time at IU, unlike most of the other programs and offices with which he works, but to say he played a major role in the office’s creation would be a great disservice to the students.

“I’m not the crusader that led the way,” McKaig said. “I’m not the starter of the organizations,” McKaig said. “I just helped along the way.”

Shadday said he is proud to have McKaig as a dean of students because the dean never worried about showing his face at GLBT events. He added that McKaig comes to events and mingles with students.

McKaig said he makes it a point to attend the first meeting of the OUT GLBT student union each year, not as the dean, but just to be present and observe.

Douglas Bauder from the GLBT Student Support Services office said from the first day he met McKaig, he noticed the dean’s quiet, behind-the-scenes leadership style.

Bauder added he would like McKaig’s replacement to be similarly supportive of the office and take its work seriously.

McKaig said he advises his successor to be visible and show support.

“First and foremost, listen,” he said. “It really is a lot better to keep your mouth closed and ears open.”

He said the creation of the office and its supporters was a visible step forward on campus and provides a way for incoming students to connect and be involved.

“You are the real heroes in making students feel welcome when they come to this campus,” McKaig said.

However, Bauder said McKaig has been a supportive source of guidance for the office and took the time to listen and learn from its members.

He said the luncheon was a way to honor one of the office’s favorite allies on campus and presented McKaig with a poster of his first visit to the office when it opened in 1994. Shadday said the day was not a day to be silent, but a day to honor the office’s allies such as McKaig.

“He’s a straight ally being so supportive,” Shadday said. “It’s the most beneficial of anything he’s ever done.”