The University Park Student Fee Board met Friday morning to hear allocation request presentations from Penn State’s Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (CSGD), the Gender Equity Center, and the Paul Robeson Cultural Center (PRCC).

Brian Patchcoski, former director of CSGD, kicked off the board’s meeting with a presentation of his organization’s request.

Patchcoski shared that about 42% of the LGBT youth say the community they live in is not accepting of LGBT people. Depression, family issues, stress, and suicidal thoughts are among the top issues facing members of the LGBT community in Pennsylvania.

CSGD offers numerous programs to LGBTQ+ students at Penn State with the goals of fostering community, visibility, and connection. This programming includes an LGBTQ+ welcome reception, Transgender Awareness Month, and LGBTQ+ History Month.

In the spring, CSGD hopes to organize events for Pride Month and their signature Lavender Graduation. CSGD has also seen a significant increase in online engagement, and it hopes to further the resources offered through this platform.

CSDG requested flat funding of $147,838.76 to be used toward both the enhancement of its programming and student wages.

Becca Geiger, the assistant director of the Gender Equity Center, later outlined the center’s level funding request of $58,000 for the 2021-22 cycle.

The Gender Equity Center works to remain committed to a campus culture that makes all students feel supported. It also aims to create positive experiences that help students reach success both at Penn State and in the world.

The Gender Equity Center is one of two on-campus resources that offer confidential services to students. These include crisis intervention, support counseling, and prevention education.

Throughout the fall, the Gender Equity Center brought many events to students at Penn State, such as suicide prevention training and guest speakers, including Byron Hurt, Ryan Jamaal Swain, and Blair Imani.

Funding for the Gender Equity Center is put toward speaker honorariums, marketing materials, and educational and awareness displays.

PRCC Director Carlos Wiley provided Friday’s final presentation.

PRCC was created in 1972 and has continuously been a large part of the success of Penn State’s community in engaging with diversity efforts.

The center seeks to serve students in the development of character, conscience, and social responsibility through racial identity development, social justice, and cultural enrichment and inclusion. It provides students with cultural competency programs and training on racial issues to promote greater social responsibility and appreciation of racial diversity.

In the fall, PRCC provided both in-person and online programming, including guest speakers Rose Clemente and Ice Cube. The center plans to continue offering events such as “Free Your Mind Fridays,” a PRCC social justice retreat, and a leadership development summit.

Wiley presented a request for level funding of $198,000 to be put toward speakers, cultural enrichment, and social justice and leadership events.

The Student Fee Board will continue hearing allocation request presentations from Penn State’s Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, Graduate and Professional Student Association, and Office of Student Activities at its next meeting on Friday, January 29.