Tom Bourdon, director of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Center, will leave Tufts on March 14 to become the president of Greater Boston Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).
Director of the Tufts Women's Center StephGauchel will step into the role of interim director, according to Bourdon. The search for a permanent director will begin immediately and conclude by next fall.
PFLAG's mission is to "change attitudes and create an environment of understanding so that our gay family members and friends can live in a world that is safe and inclusive," according to its website.
PFLAG's presence is extremely vital to the LGBT community, Bourdon said.
"[PFLAG] works all across the state of Massachusetts ... for there to be more awareness in terms of issues of gender and sexuality," he said. "I will be surrounded by people who are so passionate about this work and really want to see great change."
Bourdon said that as president of Greater Boston PFLAG, one of his primary duties will be to assess how the organization will expand in the years to come. At the present, he explained, PFLAG occasionally experiences capacity issues, meaning that not all requests can be met.
"[PFLAG] needs to figure out the best and smartest ways for this organization to grow to continue working toward its mission," he said.
Reflecting on his five-and-a-half-year tenure at Tufts, Bourdon said he is proud of the positive impact the LGBT Center has had on the Tufts community, especially through programming that has raised awareness of LGBT issues.
"There are some great programs in place ... that started while I was here, such as 'Guess the Straight Person,' which is this hugely popular optional orientation event that literally drew in 900 students this past year ... I think has really helped people become aware not only of our Center, but also [of] the fact that Tufts is a place where we expect you to respect people in the LGBT community," he said.
Bourdon also cited a program that takes students to the national Creating Change conference on LGBT equality.
"Students come back with so much fire inside to do amazing work on this campus, and they are also required to give back to Tufts in various ways," he said.
Senior Director of Health and Wellness Service Michelle Bowdler also commented on the value of the LGBT Center's programming during Bourdon's time as director.
"[Bourdon] has been really interested in national work related to LGBT families ... and he has been aware of how to bring in programming that reflects a national conversation," she said.
According to Gauchel, Bourdon has made an effort to involve the entire student body in conversations about gender and sexuality with his initiatives. She noted that one of the best examples of this is Team Q, a group of students trained by the LGBT Center to foster discussion about LGBT issues.
"Team Q provides Safe Zone trainings for the Tufts community, as well as offers student speaker panels that highlight lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues through the personal stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied students," Gauchel told the Daily in an email.
Bourdon has had a major impact on the lives of LGBT students on campus, according to senior George Murphy.
"Tom is really good with people," Murphy said. "If ever you have a problem or something you need to talk about, Tom ... is always ready and willing to talk to you, and always has really sound advice."
Murphy explained, however, that with Bourdon's departure, there is still much to be done on the Tufts campus to make the LGBT Center not just for LGBT students, but relevant to the entire Tufts community.
Bowdler agreed that as the LGBT Center moves forward without Bourdon, Tufts must continue to work to make the university a welcoming place for all students.
"I trust we will continue our strong commitment to LGBT issues, since we never want to feel our work is done or to become complacent," she said.
