GAY LESBIAN UNIVERSITY K N O W L E D G E = E M P O W E R M E N T GLU Extension Course News "Creating & Maintaining GLU's" INTRODUCTION "Harvard had to start someplace." File length 216 lines In the beginning GLU/Seattle was founded in the late summer of 1992. It wasn't the sort of idea that got up one morning and took to the streets. It took some time, energy etc. The GLU idea came along months prior to the printing of the first catalog. In the time between the conception and the birth of GLU a lot of thinking went on. Mostly of the negative kind. Those types of thoughts that say, "it can't be done." People will laugh and all that sort of in our heads negativity. Did people laugh? Yes some do. At the same time support for the idea was sought in the GLBT community. There was zero support from anyone that was asked or the idea was presented to. Mostly people curled back in horror for many different reasons. With this lack of overt support GLU was not aborted and was given a chance to live and hopefully grow. Some experiences GLU went ahead gathering ideas for catalog layouts and cost analysis etc. Lots of day dreaming about how to get the word out to the public via the published schedules etc. Ideas about advertising, writing stories for the papers etc. Getting local businesses to advertise and many many more thoughts were covered over and over before the actual first printing. After much thought and planning GLU started producing information on paper that could be distributed to LGBTetc etc people, places, and things. Small little flyers with the first press release type of information was passed out around the area. GLU set up a information table on a busy local LGBTetc street and has been out there ever since. Public excitement The first reactions of the people were great. In fact the best way to describe some of that reaction was, "wet their pants, jump up and down excitement" when they first hear about GLU. That was very very encouraging to say the least. Press attention At the same time the press releases started to flow out into the realm of the Gay and straight press. GLU has received some great coverage from all sorts of papers. Articles and other data have appeared all way from the front page down to the calendar section. The ups and the downs GLU is a baby. Most folks say that "it will take time for it to catch on." I don't understand that statement. But "they" say that these sorts of things take time to grow etc. Actually I am starting to get a handle on the idea of it taking time. One angle to this is that it really does take awhile for people to even notice that the project is alive and well. Then the public has to digest it and from there hopefully get involved. GLU started out with what I would call more of a bang then what it is currently facing. GLU is very young. The first catalog was published and presented to the public the first of December 1992. Since then in the short almost three months things have gone up and gone down. The slowness of everything around the holidays took a big toll on GLU. There have been surges of interests in GLU. Sometimes the interests in GLU are directly connected to the GLU is in its youth GLU is a very slow operation. GLU does not get many calls each day. It does not get much mail. On the average GLU receives one call and one letter for class or student registration every two days or so. -------- Here are some statistics of GLU for you. Date: February 11, 1993 Age: approximately 75 days young Totals: students registered: 51 facilitators: 14 GLU income GLU Student tuition = $10 for three months. Instructor Class inserts = $20 for three months. Class fees are separate and the business of the instructor. GLU advertising $10 2' x 4" almost business card size but larger. Number of paid advertisers One = total $10 per month. Tom Hicks the founder has placed several filler ads. Inserts $20 per 1,000 zero to date. GLU has contributed several free inserts to not for profit groups. Catalogs: total printed to date - 3 December Printed 2,000 cost $197 4 page tab January printed 3,000 cost $234 4 page tab February printed 2,000 cost $99.50 11" x 17" Other GLU expenses Advertising GLU did advertise in a local paper for about 1.5 to 2 months. The cost was too high for the number of calls. DTP costs GLU catalog is produced on a NeXT computer using WriteNow WP, and Appsoft Draw for the page layout. The cost of the laser printing etc are not included in the GLU expenses. GLU communications POB use Voice mail on private residence line. Email of course Time and energy Catalog DTP = 1 hour per week Catalog printing = 2 hours Catalog distribution = 1 hour per week or two Information street table = 2 -4 hours per weekend Miscellaneous rallies etc 2-4 hours per month Writing press releases etc. 1 hour per week Ad sales = zero Speaking engagements = zero Office work Phone work, student & instructor registrations = 2 hours per week Miscellaneous = 1 hour per week Totals per week = 7 hours ------- Currently GLU is like it has been said in its youth. GLU's serenity is directly proportional to it expectations. Too often GLU has wanted more attention and or students and or teachers. Like water GLU will seek it own level. Recruitment GLU does not do go to far out of its way to beg people to get involved in GLU. Maybe that would work better for another type of GLU set up. So far GLU has taken the attitude that if a person is sincerely interested they will in time step forward. Time One reason that the catalog is published every month is to allow people the flexibility and ease of getting there class information published on a faster basis. Also it is very difficult for people to arrange a class toooooo far off in the distant future. It takes time for most people that are interested in teaching at GLU to pull the class or events together. In fact for some it takes months. Space for teaching GLU instructors need to find their own place to teach their courses. A local non profit organization called CrossRoads Learning Center is more then willing to help provide low cost space to those in need. GLU help This is one of the areas GLU prides itself. If a instructor is in need of free or low cost places to teach GLU is more then happy to bend over backwards to assist them in getting quality space. GLU has created a list of local meeting spaces that can be passed on to the prospective instructors Also, GLU is open to on the phone pep talk,brain storming. GLU is willing to meet most instructors to discuss any possibilities. Flexibility GLU remains open and flexible to creative suggestions and likes to pass those ideas on to the instructors. GLU is also very flexible about costs of tuition, class registrations, advertising. GLU wants GLU to fly so it will do most anything to make the experience a successful one for all in the community. -------- FUTURE -------- You are looking at part of the future right now. 1.) The establishment of GLU's anywhere. 2.) Networking 3.) Human rights efforts for all 4.) You name it!!! 5.) Pipe dreams you will not believe. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Hicks tomh@halcyon.com GLU - Gay Lesbian University/Seattle anonymous ftp halcyon.com /pub/GLU POB 20771 Seattle,WA 98102 206-323-7483 F I G H T B A C K W I T H T E C H N O L O G Y ----------------------------------------------------------------