"If something is completely student-run you run the risk every year of losing the people who actually have the drive to keep it going," says Ford. "We’ve been lucky in the past, but that’s no indication of what’ll happen in the future."

Tom Bourdon, the current director of Tufts’ LGBT Center, emphasizes the importance of university support not only for LGBT space, but for full-time staff support as well. At Tufts, the LGBT Center was established in 1992, four years after the first staff coordinator to serve LGBT students was hired in 1988.

"Student groups often do great work, but if students are expected to fully and holistically take on all of those responsibilities, they are being asked to take on an overwhelming and impossible burden," he writes in an e-mail. He adds that official university support at Tufts enables not only physical space and staff, but can provide funding to allow for experts to be brought in and for students to attend conferences on LGBT issues.

Schools that have staffed LGBT centers, he writes, make a statement that "the university recognizes and respects the LGBT community, understands that there is professional-level work which needs to be done, and is proud to show their support."

CAMPUS COMMITMENTS TO DIVERSITY

According to Bourdon, there are currently about 150 institutions of higher education with professionally staffed LGBT centers. Many LGBT students and allies acutely feel the lack of this resource at Harvard.

"The space and organizations we have are great, but university support would be a very positive step in terms of highlighting Harvard’s commitment to diversity," says Jia Hui Lee ’12, a member of the Transgender Task Force who frequents the QRC, referring to the advantages other campus LBGT centers have.

"There’s a gap between the resources the QRC provides and the resources the College provides," he says, adding that because of this divide it can be difficult to find information about a range of LGBT issues.

As the director of LGBT Services at MIT, Abigail Francis staffs the Rainbow Lounge—the campus’ LGBT space—and works to ensure that everyone can access the resources they need.

"Students need to be students first and foremost," she says. "In terms of a comprehensive supportive approach to LGBT issues on campus, a staff member is really key to building community and cultivating leadership so students are empowered."

Joubert X. Glover, an MIT senior who is president of the MIT LGBT group G@MIT, says that the Rainbow Lounge has offered LGBT students a home away from home.

"I’m honored to say I go to MIT because of its ability to recognize diversity issues and help make sure we have spaces and resources," he says, adding that Francis helps students address difficult issues as they arise by being available to listen to concerns and offer advice and information. "Just looking at the suicides on high school and college campuses, it’s clear that there is a need for some sort of support, and I’m glad MIT sees the need for that."

AN OVERFLOWING NEED

Kogan says that while he enjoys having a space that gives students a sense of ownership as well as a place to hang out, the LGBT community is taking a stand to get more resources from Harvard.

"The QRC is a well utilized space, and that speaks to fact that this is something that there’s a demand for on campus," he says. "Still, there’s not that much visibility on campus which can be frustrating, and that’s something we’re trying to work on."