Vermont Scouts

(continued from page 1)

1. Employee benefits for domestic
partners;

2. Funding for a gay and lesbian stud-
ies course which had already been
approved;

3. The ROTC program at Dartmouth
and its conflict with the equal op-
portunity statement of the College;

4. United Way of the Upper Valley’s
funding of the Green Mountain
Council.

The Coalition, an employee organization
whose membership is not restricted to
those who are gay, lesbian or bisexual,
now has more than 100 active members,
and has been successful in obtaining
benefits for same sex domestic partners.
(Unmarried heterosexual partners are
not allowed benefits). There has been no
commitment to date on the gay and les-
bian studies course, and the ROTC situa-
tion on campus is unresolved. According
to John Crane, there is a great deal of
support from straight Dartmouth em-
ployees for the Coalition’s concerns.

The Dartmouth College Coalition ex-
pressed its concerns regarding the fund-
ing of the Boy Scouts to the Upper Val-
ley United Way, which formed an
Equity Committee with Barbara Hill as
chair. This committee worked through
the winter and spring, and presentedthe
United Way with three recommenda-
tions. The first was a recommendation to
rewrite the organization’s bylaws re-
garding discrimination with respect to
employment, volunteer participation and
provision of services. The next was to
encourage all agencies to comply with
the revised anti-discrimination policy in
time for 1996 funding. (Applications for
1996 funding are due in February of
1995). After that time, funding for agen-
cies not in compliance would be de-

termined by the United Way of Upper
Valley’s Board of Directors. The final
recommendation of the committee was
that a program of continuing education
and dialogue between the community
and United Way member agencies be es-
tablished in order to move towards con-
sensus on issues of inclusion.

On July 15, 1993 Upper Valley United
Way approved its new anti-
discrimination policy which now pro-
hibits discrimination on the basis of vet-
eran status, disability , and sexual or-
ientation, (policy revisions) as well as
age, gender, race, religion, or national or-
igin (stated in the original policy).

In correspondence to the United Way of
Upper Valley, Dartmouth College Co-
alition expressed its gratitude to the or-
ganization for its actions in revising the
anti—discrirr1ination policy. The Coalition
also expressed its concern, however, re-
garding the possible ambiguity that may
result from the wording of the policy,
which “encourages” compliance from
groups seeking funding. The Dartmouth
group hopes that the intent is to mandate
rather than encourage compliance with
the revised anti-discrimination policy.

According to Upper Valley United Way
president, Stephen Marion, “The intent
and anticipation of this board is that if
there is no change in the policy, practice,
or relationship with the national (or-
ganization), they probably would not
continue to receive funding.” Funding
for the Green Mountain Council is as-
sured for 1994. Future funding is in
question.

To express their appreciation to the
Upper Valley United Way, Dartmouth
College Coalition will encourage em-

ployees to give even more than ever to
the organization. They will also encour-
age employees to “deselect" the Green
Mountain Council as a recipient of their
contribution. This option can be used by
anyone who contributes to the United
Way, whether Upper Valley or else-
where.

Note: The United Way of Chittenden
County, which also has an anti-
discrimination policy, continues to fund
local Boy Scout troops to the amount of
$25,000 this year. Executive Director,
Gretchen Morse, in an interview with
OITM in October of last year, said that
while the “issue of the Boy Scouts is
troublesome”, her organization could
not force anti-discrimination policies on
member agencies receiving United Way
funds. V

 

reative Design,
Training and

‘ ‘Services’. 0

18181’ Pklfl. 31’

September 1993

 

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