Senate resolution divides TTLGBC and TJO

Hopes of an amicable resolution to one of the campus's oldest debates have been temporarily dashed due to miscommunication and confusion.

Members of Tufts Joint Operations (TJO) and the Tufts Transgender Lesbian Gay Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC) were on the road to developing close ties prior last Sunday's Senate meeting. The TJO is a military service organization that deals with both ROTC and non-ROTC issues.

At the meeting, the Senate passed a "resolution to support the granting of credit for courses taken by Tufts students while enrolled in the MIT ROTC program." The resolution passed 14-5 with four senators abstaining. Tufts students who participate in ROTC do not currently receive credit for courses taken at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The resolution sparked heated debate, as the TTLGBC objects to the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Discussions between TJO and TTLGBC began last Wednesday when TJO President Sean Colon and members Frances Dixon and Kyle Fisher met with TTLGBC Co-coordinator Kit Stanton and co-president of Emerge Matt Pohl. Emerge is an activist group for gay and lesbian political issues.

"At first I was thrilled that they had contacted us," Pohl said. "I do feel empathy for a lot of these students. I know they take a lot of effort to go and take these classes and train."

The two groups decided "it was important for the queer community to be included in any additional actions [TJO] would take," Pohl said.

"I saw this as the beginning of a wonderful relationship from which both sides could greatly benefit," Colon said. "We were even discussing holding joint events on campus."

The conflict arose when the Senate chose to vote on the resolution at Sunday's meeting. Neither group was given advance notice of the vote in order to prepare a formal statement, so members rushed to the meeting to give brief remarks.

Senior ROTC cadet David Taylor spoke in favor ROTC students receiving course credit for classes. "I was unaware that a resolution would be voted on until 10 minutes before the meeting," he said. "My initial intention for appearing at the meeting was not to pass a resolution but rather to apprise my student representatives of the discrimination against ROTC students."

Representatives from TTLGBC were not informed that the meeting would include a vote on the resolution. "We found out about this resolution literally about 10 minutes before the meeting," Pohl said. "All of us rushed in and gave an uninformed presentation."

TTLGBC members were disappointed that they were uninformed. "Somehow between Wednesday and Sunday there was a breakdown in communication," Stanton said.

Colon said TJO was did not know of the vote ahead of time, and that he was unsure if Taylor would speak. "This was all a misunderstanding," he said. "Many students have been speaking to faculty members and advisors on their own, and Dave Taylor saw the opportunity to speak to the TCU Senate and took it."

However, Colon said he regrets what happened. "I definitely would like to make a public apology to both Matthew Pohl and the rest of TTLGBC who might have felt that this was done purposefully and maliciously," he said.

A representative from TTLGBC was scheduled to attend the TJO meeting on Monday night, but as a result of the incident on Sunday, no representative attended. Because of the resolution, "I decided not to go to their meeting," Pohl said.

"The damage has been done, at least for now," Pohl said. "In my eyes, most chances for full dialogue with the LGBT community have been squandered."

Pohl said TTLGBC expected to discuss the resolution with TJO before it was given to the Senate for approval.

Members of TJO and ROTC said the issue of course credit should be separate from the issue of discrimination against homosexuals. "Basically we can't fight unjust discrimination with more unjust discrimination," Taylor said. "I know it is important to make a point to the government, but I only ask that the undeserving Tufts ROTC students not be used as the sacrificial lamb," he said.

"Simply put, there was miscommunication and misunderstanding all around and nobody should be accused of anything," Taylor said.

Colon and TJO are hoping to reopen dialogue. "I certainly hope that this does not hinder this rare opportunity to bridge the gap between these two communities," he said. "This has been one of my priorities and is of great importance to myself and many of the TJO members."

-- Jon Schubin contributed to this article