BY JAIDA DENT
CUNY offers many services to its students, but many may be unaware of its LGBTQI+ Council. The Council offered an introduction to its work at a CUNY-wide “Virtual Welcome” on Sept. 17, showcasing its resources.
The Council’s members are staff and faculty who meet monthly to discuss ways of supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer students across the campuses. Members deal with issues surrounding outreach, gender and name changes, mental health and wellness, and CUNY LGBTQI+ Centers.
Members represent all of the 26 CUNY campuses and hold a variety of positions, including professors, program directors, counselors, and administrators. Brooklyn College’s representatives are Kelly Spivey, the director of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center, and counselor and adjunct lecturer Andy Hale.
“Our mission is to ensure the visibility and inclusion of the entire spectrum of LGBTQI+ students, faculty, and staff. We aim to be a collaborative resource to create connection and community, identify and troubleshoot gaps, and increase representation, awareness, and equity,” Christina Chala, the University Student Engagement Programs Manager at the CUNY Central Office,” told those attending the meeting.
One resource that served as the focal point of the event was the CUNY LGBTQI+ Hub. Along with accessing the Council representatives at each school, the hub allows students to see policies and resources that the Council has compiled for students. Chala shared the fact that students can change their name on CUNYFirst and have that reflected on their accounts.
“New in the Spring, April 2025, we enhanced the portal for preferred names, so when a student submits a preferred name through the CUNYFirst portal, their legal first name should automatically be hidden in CUNY-wide systems,” said Chala.
One of the most asked questions in the Zoom chat was how students can be involved in the work that the Council does. Through the hub, students can find the LGBTQ+ Center on their campus and reach out to their Council representative for ways to get involved.
Another avenue for student involvement is by participating in the CUNY LGBTQI+ Student Conference. The conference brings together all students from all CUNY campuses to one host school and asks, “What does leadership for social change look like? What does an inclusive CUNY look like?” Students can help plan the event by joining the Council’s student subcommittee, the Queer Student Alliance (QSAS).
Based on comments in the Zoom chat, the event left attendees hopeful for what’s to come at CUNY, as several LGBTQ Centers promoted their upcoming events. Council members encouraged students to attend events at the other CUNY campuses and build a community that spans beyond their home campus.