Programs
CISOGI
About CISOGI
The Committee on Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity is one of the presidential advisory committees that directly advises the USF President on related matters for the entire USF System: Sarasota-Manatee, St. Petersburg, and Tampa. Official members are appointed for three-year terms by the president after submitting an application, however participatory members may join any meeting and contribute to the charge of the committee.
Charge
- Advise the President and other university leaders on matters pertaining to issues of sexual and/or affectional orientation and gender identity and expression as they pertain to USF faculty, staff, and students
- Evaluate and monitor the university environment for related problems and issues
Additional Activities
- Support LGBTQ+ individuals and communities at USF through acknowledging achievements, raising visibility, sharing information, and enhancing connection
- Advocate for meaningful policy change, resource allocation, and competency training that enhances the university’s ability to develop and maintain the thriving of USF’s diverse LGBTQ+ students, staff, faculty, alumni and community partners
Getting Involved
Are you interested in influencing systemic change at USF related to LGBTQ+ issues? Want to take your advocacy to the next level? CISOGI (the Committee on Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) is a committee that directly advises the president of the university on the needs of LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty on all three USF campuses. We also host a number of fun events throughout the year, including our annual Lavender Graduation ceremony and participation in the annual Tampa Pride parade.
We need members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community to join us in this vital work to maximize the benefit for all of USF. CISOGI meets on the third Thursday of the month from 2-3 pm via Microsoft Teams. Come by, meet the committee members, learn more about what CISOGI does, and be in community with other people who want to remove barriers for LGBTQ+ people at USF.
How do I get involved?
- Email our chair, Michael Rogers (mnrogers@usf.edu) or our membership officer, Meg Stowe (mmandell@honors.usf.edu) to ask a question, inquire about membership, or be added to CISOGI resources (CISOGI Listserv, Teams Group, Invite to Teams meeting).
- Attend a meeting. Just show up and join the conversation! Connect through Teams during one of our third Thursday meetings from 2-3pm.
Appointed Members
Check out the table below to see USF faculty, staff, and students that have been appointed to the Presidential Advisory Committee on Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. We are actively seeking members interested in being appointed from the St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses.
| Name | CISOGI Role | Department | USF Affiliation | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Susana Perez-Field | Member | Student Health Services | Staff | Tampa |
| Kevin Lee | Member | Honors College / Higher Education | Staff/Student | Tampa |
| Ren Bradley-Tyler | Member | College of Medicine | Staff | Tampa |
| Amanda Tritsch | Member | Phylical Therapy & Rehabilitation Services | Faculty | Tampa |
| Wendy Weiss | Member | Medicine/ Student Health Services | Faculty/Staff | Tampa |
USF Pride Awards
Each year, during our Lavender Graduation ceremony, CISOGI presents Pride Awards in recognition of contributions made to the USF LGBTQ+ community and/or achievements made by members of the USF LGBTQ+ community. See below for the 2020-2021 award winners.
Student Pride Award Winners
- Brian Panetta
- Emmanuel Harvey
- Lindsay Fields
- Samantha “Sam” Antoine
- Sabeehah Ravat
Staff Pride Award Winners
- Darleen Gracia
- Danielle Rosenkrantz
Faculty Pride Award Winners
- Tangela Serls
- Daniel Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano
Outstanding Contribution to LGBTQ+ Life at USF
- Cristina Yelvington
Outstanding Contribution to CISOGI
- Kevin Lee
- Ellyn Couillard
- Amanda Tritsch
Want to know more about CISOGI?
Lavender Graduation
Lavender Graduation is a partnership between USF Foundation, CISOGI, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs to celebrate the achievements of LGBTQ+ students graduating, recognize Pride Award and Scholarship winners, and to gather the LGBTQ+ community, at USF and the surrounding community, to develop additional support and resources.
Want to support LGBTQ+ Scholars? Donate to the LGBTQ+ Scholarship fund.
Annual Report
Take a look at our most recent Annual Report to learn about CISOGI’s activities in the last year.
Campus Pride Index
Interested in the how our university stacks up in terms of LGBTQ+ policies and resources? Check out the USF listing on the Campus Pride Index, an independent organization that ranks universities in terms of LGBTQ+ concerns.