At the University of Houston, students and faculty alike are still reeling from the impacts of Senate Bill 17. The law, which was approved by the state Legislature earlier this year, effectively banned campus programs that catered to diverse student populations.
For many students, the worst impact of SB 17 was losing the LGBTQ+ Resource Center. Under the law, the center was recently merged with the Center for Diversity and Inclusion to form the newly created “Center for Student Advocacy and Community.” But even amidst what seem like insurmountable odds, student leaders and faculty are fighting back. From helping LGBTQ+ students access aid to mounting protest movements, they’ve proven unwilling to give up.
The impact of the Resource Center’s closure has led to “terror and outrage” amongst students, according to Kaitlin Tolman, UH senior and president of LGBTQ+ student organization GLOBAL.
