Administrative officials discussed the goals of the GLBT Center Wednesday afternoon at the Chancellor’s Liaison meeting.

Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Tom Stafford led the discussion, focusing on clearing up misunderstandings about the new center.

He said during the meeting the center is being “enhanced,” not created.

According to Stafford, in the past, the University has had an office to provide support and services to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. Now, that office is being expanded and enhanced.

“Now, we’re enhancing it and renaming it the GLBT center,” Stafford said during the meeting. “We’re adding a full-time director and a graduate assistant. They have a budget to support activities.”

He said they will hire the new director by January.

Deb Luckadoo, director of campus activities, announced at the meeting that the graduate assistant has been selected — Rebekah Jaeger, a doctoral student in counselor education.

Another misconception about the GLBT center Stafford wanted to clear up was the source of the center’s budget.

Student Body President Bobby Mills, a junior in political science, said he hopes the word gets out that the center will not increase student fees.

Stafford said there would be no additional cost to students.

“It’s not a charge to students,” he said during the meeting.

According to Stafford, the budget for the center will come from Talley Student Center’s budget. He said the budget will be finalized when the new director is hired.

Mills said he hopes the meeting will help dispel rumors about the center. He said he hopes people realize the GLBT center will be a room in Talley and not its own building.

“Some people still think it’s going to be the ‘GLBT building,'” Mills said. “It’s just a room. I hope people become educated on that.”

He also discussed the need for the center on campus.

“Some people don’t understand the need, but just ask someone on campus who is gay,” Stafford said. “They will tell you the need for it.”

If a survey was taken of sexual orientation of N.C. State’s students, he said approximately 2,000 to 3,000 would be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

Stafford said some believe the GLBT Center will be used to promote or encourage people to be gay.

“That isn’t what we are doing at all,” Stafford said during the meeting. “People don’t choose to be like that. It’s their sexual orientation.”

He said he hopes the center will help all students on campus understand sexual orientation.

“There’s a lot of confusion about sexual orientation,” Stafford said. “The center will be there to educate everyone on campus.”

Luckadoo said the GLBT center is planning activities and ideas using examples at other universities that have similar centers.

“We’ve gotten a lot of ideas and suggestions from other programs at other universities,” she said.

After the meeting ended, Mills said he was happy with the meeting’s outcome.

“We clarified what the GLBT center’s purpose is, and I think that’s really important,” Mills said.