Frequently Asked Questions Are Answered Here
Why are you leaving GLSEN National? What did they do to you?
What does GLSEN National think about all of this? Are you mad at them? Are they mad at you?
Are other GLSEN chapters also leaving and changing their names?
Will we be less effective as an independent organization? Isn't it important to stick together in the current climate?
Will we continue to have a relationship with GLSEN National? How will this affect the work we do in the community?
Will we have the same staff and board members?
Will the office location change? Will the contact information change, i.e. the address, the phone number, the email address, the website, etc.?Where will my donation go?Will I receive mailings from both organizations?
How are you letting people in the community know about the change? When is the name change to Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools effective?
Why the name change?Who decided on the name and logo?How long have you known about this?How will this change the organization's approach to the work you do in the community? What area
will you serve?
Did you ask for input from the community? What do you have planned for the coming year? Is anyone mad about the change? Does the new logo mean something specific?Do you think that you can raise money on your own? How will this effect youth participation in future GLSEN events? How will we notify vendors about the name change and about the eventual email address change?How long will our old email and web address work?
How will this effect stretch club? Why are you leaving GLSEN National? What did they do to you?Our departure from GLSEN National is a positive change. During the past ten
years our chapter has developed into a strong, autonomous, and self-sufficient
organization. This, along with the recent restructuring of GLSEN National, offered the
opportunity for us to become an independent entity which enables us to most effectively
meet the needs of our community.
Return to FAQ'sWhat does GLSEN National think about
all of this? Are you mad at them? Are they mad at you? GLSEN National
understands and respects our decision and fully supports our continued growth. We are not
mad at each other and intend to collaborate and continue supporting one another's efforts
in the future.
Return to FAQ'sAre other GLSEN chapters also leaving and changing
their names? Yes there are several other GLSEN chapters who are leaving and
changing their names. Many of them are also at a point their development where
independence makes the most sense.
Return to FAQ's
Will we be less effective as an
independent organization? Isn't it important to stick together in the current climate?There is a need to do work at local and national levels. We feel we are in a
position to best work locally, at the grass roots level, because we understand the needs
of our community and have relationships with schools, educators and students in the area.
We can continue to support the work of other GLSEN chapters and organizations committed
to creating safer school climates.
Return to FAQ's
Will we continue to have a relationship with GLSEN National? We will continue to have an informal and a
collaborative relationship with GLSEN National.
Return to FAQ'sHow will this affect the work we do in the community?We will be able to focus more intensively on
developing and supporting GSAs, building a stronger safe schools network in Wisconsin,
and steering local dollars to these grassroots efforts.
Return to FAQ'sWill we have the same staff and board members?We will have the same staff and board members
when we become the Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools (GSA for Safe Schools).
Return to FAQ'sWill the office location change? Will the contact information change, i.e.
the address, the phone number, the email address, the website, etc.? Our
location and contact information will stay the same: 301 S. Bedford St. Madison, WI
608-661-4141 Our new website is www.gsaforsafeschools.org.
Return to FAQ'sWhere will my donation go? As of July 1st, 2006, your local donations will go to the Gay Straight Alliance for
Safe Schools. However, you may begin at any time to make checks out to our new nonprofit.
Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools has officially been approved by the IRS.
Return to FAQ'sWill I receive mailings from both organizations? You will continue to receive mailings from us locally. If you are currently on the GLSEN National
mailing list, you will receive mail from them as well.
Return to FAQ'sHow are you letting people in the community know about the change? Our new identity roll out has several components. We will formally announce the new name and logo at our 10th
Annual Celebration of Leadership on May 20th. People who visit our website will learn
about the change. This summer we will send an email announcement and newsletter to
everyone in our database. In addition, we will spread the news through the local media
and by word of mouth.
Return to FAQ'sWhen is the name change to Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools effective?The name changes legally on July 1st, 2006, but we are beginning to use the new
name starting May 20th.
Return to FAQ's Why the name change? Why Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools? We want our new name to clearly indicate that we work for safe schools and that our focus is
lgbt youth rights. We also wish to communicate that our approach is to work in alliance
with others. A shortened version of our name is the GSA for Safe Schools.
Return to FAQ'sWho decided on the name and logo? The board and staff, with input from
community members, chose the name and logo after careful deliberation.
Return to FAQ'sHow long have you known about this? Our board and staff have been weighing
the decision for several months and made the decision to leave GLSEN at the end of our
fiscal year to ensure the smoothest transition possible.
Return to FAQ'sHow will this change the organization's approach to the work you do in the community? What area
will you serve?As stated earlier, we will be able to focus more intensively on
developing and supporting GSAs, building a stronger safe schools network in Wisconsin,
and steering local dollars to these grassroots efforts. Our primary focus will remain
South Central Wisconsin, but we will serve other locations in the state when strategic
partners from those communities are involved.
Return to FAQ'sDid you ask for input from the community? We consulted with a number of key volunteers, funders and
community leaders during the process of deliberation.
Return to FAQ'sWhat do you have planned for the coming year? Our board and staff have been engaged in a
vigorous strategic planning process and we are setting our organizational direction for
the next two years. Those plans include four major strategic areas: strengthening and
supporting GSAs, building strategic partnerships, creating solid internal systems for
program and organizational stability, and developing our electronic and print
resources.
Return to FAQ'sIs anyone mad about the change? No, but change can be uncomfortable. Community members have been positive and supportive about the
change.
Return to FAQ'sDoes the new logo mean something specific?It's a graphic element meant to symbolize vitality, energy, renewal and
change.
Return to FAQ'sDo you think that you can raise money on your own? Throughout our ten year history, we have raised all of our funds locally and have
built long-lasting relationships with our donors. We must all work to build name
recognition for the GSA for Safe Schools.
Return to FAQ'sHow will this effect youth
participation in future GLSEN events?Some local youth leaders have been
involved with GLSEN projects on a National level. They may continue to be involved this
way if they choose to do so.
Return to FAQ'sHow will we notify vendors about the
name change and about the eventual email address change? We will send or
provide a name change letter, and we will also provide guidance on how to notify vendors
and others about the email change.
Return to FAQ'sHow long will our old email and web address work? As long as they need to; we will monitor traffic and decide
when we can stop forwarding.
Return to FAQ'sHow will this effect stretch club? Stretch Club members will have to notify their banks of the name change so that funds
can be transferred to the GSA for Safe Schools as of July 1st, 2006. Please contact our
office for more information.
Return to FAQ's