San Diego State offers new major

Shannon Ma / Roundup

San Diego State University (SDSU) announced that they will be offering a major in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies, in 2012, echoing congress’s recent ruling to end discrimination against the LGBT community with the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”.

I applaud SDSU’s progressive mindset that makes them the second University in the country to offer a major in LGBT studies, following Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York. My hope is that this starts a ripple effect with other higher learning institutions in California as well as at Pierce College.

It would be great for a college in Los Angeles, which happens to be home to a large LGBT community to acknowledge that population as an important and contributing portion of our society that is worthy of being accepted and understood across all boards.

Expanding the curriculum and giving students the chance to learn more about the LGBT community as an undergraduate may help with students pursuing law school, medical school, or any corporate position where having an understanding of diversity is needed.

Some people will say, “If there can be religious, chicano, or women’s studies programs, there should be an LGBT studies program as well.”

To me that’s a Yes and a No. I think that is a really broad statement to make, and grouping different types of beliefs, races,or genders, up against each other, to be ranked by the importance of being deserving or undeserving of a college program, can get pretty dangerous.

At the end of the day, it should be left up to the students to decide and if they have a desire to learn about a certain subject, it is part of a school’s duty to create courses that will enrich the lives of it’s young scholars.

Like SDSU, Pierce could begin by offering a few classes, or a minor in LGBT studies, and if students continue to show interest in the course, it could become a larger part of Pierce’s academics programs.

The Pierce College Council recently approved an Enrollment Management Planning Committee, and one of it’s goals is to ensure the programs and services offered align with the changing needs and strengths of our new students. I encourage students who are interested in expanding their curriculum, whether it’s to offer LGBT studies, or any other program, to voice their opinions, and get the most out of their college experience.