LGBTQ FSA celebrates 10 years of advocacy, support, community-building

In 2014, a small group of UB employees convened the first association for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer faculty and staff. Now, that group — more than 100 members strong — is celebrating a decade of advocacy, support and community-building for the university’s LGBTQ+ community.

“I am so excited to support the 10th anniversary celebrations for the LGBTQ FSA,” says Seval Yildirim, vice provost for inclusive excellence. “At a moment when the basic human rights of LGBTQ+ individuals are under attack across the country, it is so important to recognize our LGBTQ FSA and show that we support, celebrate and honor the LGBTQ+ members of our UB community.”

To kick off the milestone year, the association is hosting a 10th anniversary luncheon on Oct. 2 in the Center for Tomorrow, where they’ll celebrate progress, showcase achievement and set intentions for a new chapter. The luncheon is open to members, colleagues and friends of the FSA; registration is open until Sept. 26. To continue the commemoration, the FSA will host subsequent programs and activities, and highlight its members throughout the year.

The desire to create an association was initiated by shared experiences of LGBTQ+ faculty and staff who believed the community was not visible and lacked support. The group sought to support a welcoming and inclusive university community, committing to this mission through education, networking and advocacy.

Kelly Cruttenden, LGBTQ FSA secretary, is one of the group’s original members and has been actively involved with the organization for the past decade.

“I believe the [LGBTQ] FSA fills a large need on campus,” Cruttenden says. “Faculty and staff at UB need a place to congregate, feel safe, meet other UB folks and engage in meaningful dialogue about how we can positively impact the UB and Buffalo LGBTQ community. UB queer students need to see productive, organized, successful and passionate groups of faculty and staff — and that’s exactly what we are. While we are a faculty and staff group, we collaborate whenever possible with queer student groups, attend their events and invite them to our events when possible.”

Between 2015 and 2018, the association was led by a steering committee and served members through an email listserv. In 2017, the committee facilitated a membership needs-and-interest assessment and developed a short-term organizational strategic plan. The plan was originally intended to guide the association through 2018, but the projects and principles that were included extended beyond one year.

During this period, the group hosted a series of programs that were open to all members of the UB community. In 2018, the association received a grant from embrace Western New York to support these programs. Campus partners like Athletics, the Office of Inclusive Excellence and the Intercultural and Diversity Center were also integral collaborators and sponsors.

From the strategic plan came a constitution and bylaws that serve as governing documents for the association, which were adopted in spring 2019.

Ben Fabian, who played an integral part in defining the strategic plan that led to the constitution and bylaws, then served as interim president of the FSA. The group held its first formal election in spring 2021 (delayed due to COVID-19), where Fabian was formally elected president — a role he’s since held.

“I came to UB and joined the LGBTQ FSA in 2015,” Fabian says. “What we had then was an eager group of people having plenty of conversations about many operational goals. Creating a strategic plan allowed us to create a foundation for success and actualize some of those ideas, like defining leadership roles, creating a website, planning routine programming, advocating for student resources and supporting public art and campus traditions.”

From the group’s advocacy efforts and campus partnerships came the Progress Pride Paths, which was completed in September 2021 and includes quadrangular shapes of 11 different colors painted along the V-shaped sidewalk enclosed by Knox and Bell halls and the Student Union.

“The opportunity to have public art intersect with university commitment to EDI is incredibly powerful — and to be able to have a permeant demonstration of that commitment is necessary," Fabian says. “Public art is an ongoing reminder of our values — every person who crosses that path, whether it’s an employee, student, interviewee or prospective student — sees it demonstrated that this is a place where you belong, a place where your identity is welcomed and celebrated.” 

Implementation of the constitution and bylaws also included a formal membership registration process and annual membership dues of $30, an amount that was determined based on member feedback and steering committee deliberation, and consistent with dues gathered by similar organizations.

“The LGBTQ FSA does not receive a budget from any other entity,” Fabian explains. “The group exists and can do all that we do because of the initial grant from embrace WNY, generous donations, campus sponsors and membership dues.”

Since adopting a formal membership structure, FSA membership has grown notably over a four-year period. During the 2020-21 academic year, 67 faculty and staff were dues-paying members and the FSA has nearly doubled in size since with over 113 members during the 2023-24 academic year.

“Employee resource groups like the LGBTQ FSA are crucial to help recruit and retain a diverse workforce,” says Elizabeth Bartelt, a three-year board member. “When we have community space to let our guard down and be authentically who we are, it provides support and understanding that people are not alone, which is the most important piece of belonging. For the last decade, the FSA has told current and prospective employees and students that together, we are a safer place.”

One of the other ways the FSA supports students is through the Pride Scholarship, which was established in 2022 to honor students who can demonstrate academic success, financial need and a commitment to LGBTQ+ advocacy or education.

“The LGBTQ Faculty and Staff Association impacts our UB culture, most notably enhancing our student experience, in impactful ways,” says Brian Hamluk, vice president for student life. “The diversity of our community is a hallmark of UB, and the LGBTQ FSA demonstrates to our students the significant importance a diverse staff can have in reaffirming the value that everyone has a home at UB.”

Four students have received the scholarship to date. Zach Raber, a law student and passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, received the scholarship in 2024.

“Receiving this scholarship eased the financial burden of attending law school, allowing me to dedicate myself more fully to both academic and personal development,” Raber says. “It also strengthened my belief in the university’s commitment to creating an inclusive environment that truly embraces diversity, including the LGBTQ+ community. Especially in today’s world, it is more important than ever for our community to come together, support one another and celebrate each other’s achievements. This is the vital role I believe the LGBTQ FSA plays.”

As the group looks toward the future, it aims to continue to foster campus community, strengthen and build campus tradition, and identify new unique opportunities to support students.

“The 10th anniversary is an important milestone because it represents a decade’s worth of efforts to build a strong, connected community of LGBTQIA+ individuals on campus,” says Derek Nichols, the group’s vice president. “The group has helped me, and countless others, feel a sense of belonging and appreciation to be who we are here at UB.”