The Diversity Collaborative is to start a search for a new GSRC director in February

By Taylor Hutchison Indy Staff Writer

Nancy Stoffer is no longer the director of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center as of this spring 2020 semester.

Neither Stoffer nor Julie Love, associate vice president of student affairs, confirmed the reasons for her departure, saying it was a personnel matter. 

Last week, The FLC Insight, a weekly email sent to students by the marketing and communications department, introduced Lee Bistóí as the director of the Diversity Collaborative, Kassandra Carrasco as the new interim coordinator of El Centro, Kain Eggler as the new point of contact for the GSRC and Maddie Bellew as the new point of contact for programming at the GSRC.

Eggler said that he was asked to step in for Nancy because of his experience with the Resource Center for Gender, Women, and Sexuality at the University of Minnesota—Morris. 

His experience at the FLC Gender Inclusive Housing Program also made him a candidate for the position.

Ultimately, it was his flexible schedule that made him the best option, he said.

As the point of contact for the GSRC, Eggler will oversee most of the happenings there, like the interns, as well as continue programming like Tea at the G and the annual drag show, he said.

Eggler and Bellew were hired as a temporary solution, Julie Love, associate vice president of student affairs, said.

Bistóí will join FLC as the director of the Diversity Collaborative Feb. 1 and will start a search for a new director of the GSRC then, Love said.

Eggler and Bellew are under contract for this semester, so Bistóí has time to search, she said.

Like Eggler, Stoffer said she wanted to create an inclusive space for the queer community and allies at the college. 

When Stoffer was a college student, she came out and did not have access to a resource like the GSRC. Stoffer dropped out of college because of this, she said.

“I struggled with the two parts of my life—of going to school and being who I was,” Stoffer said.

This experience was at the heart of why Stoffer did what she did at the GSRC, she said.

She said her relationships with students were as diverse as the students she had relationships with. From mentorship to friendship, she wanted to empower students to actualize their own ideas.

One of these ideas was to find a better room for the GSRC, currently located in Reed Library. 

Before Stoffer left, she hoped to find a room with windows for the GSRC. She also said it is too small for it to be a healthy environment. 

PRISM held elections on Tuesday at 4 p.m. to replace members who left or were asked to leave.

The available positions included president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and social media director. Licia Lamb ran for president, and Sage Hammer offered to be vice president. 

To be recognized as a Registered Student Organization, the group needed four officers. So, Jasznia Marshall offered to be social media director and AJ Mitchell offered to be treasurer.