LGBTQA History at Wright State University

The 1980s

• 1983—Sexual orientation was  added to the university equal opportunity in education statement

The 1990s

• 1991—Lambda Union (later named Rainbow Alliance) is established as a gay and lesbian student organization.
• 1992—Gay and lesbian faculty and staff and their supporters lobby President Paige Mulhollan for domestic partner benefits with a 40-page report from the health benefits subcommittee on domestic partners.
• 1994—A report from the health benefits subcommittee on domestic partners is forwarded to the university budget review committee, but progress stalls after the resignation of President Paige Mulhollan.
• 1994—A gay and lesbian subcommittee is established as part of the campus climate committee and identifies domestic partner benefits as their top priority.
• 1996—Allies, the organization of gay and lesbian faculty and staff and their supporters, is formed.
• 1996: President Harvey Flack meets with forty members of Allies to listen about concerns on the lack of domestic partnership benefits and other climate issues for gay and lesbian faculty and staff.
• 1998—Allies discontinues face to face meetings, but continues as a university email list coordinated by Cheryl Meyer, professor in the School of Professional Psychology.
• 1998—Charles Derry, Ph.D, professor in the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Motion Pictures, submits an appeal on domestic partners Benefits to President Kim Goldenberg and Provost Perry Moore.

The 2000s

• 2004—Lambda Union (Rainbow Alliance) presents first annual drag show on campus.
• 2004—Lambda Union changes name to Rainbow Alliance.
• 2004—The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Safe Space and Panel Program is established by Rainbow Alliance.
• 2007—Wright State University participated in LGBT-friendly campus climate index national assessment tool and receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.
• 2007—Two single-use restrooms and locker rooms were added to Recreation Center in the Student Union.
• 2008—Sex (gender identity/expression) was added to the university equal opportunity in education statement.
• 2008—The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Ally Safe Space and Panel programs are revitalized as a campus training program by a collaborative team from Beta Beta, Live, Rainbow Alliance, Counseling and Wellness Services, the Office of Student Activities, and the Women’s Center.
• 2009: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Ally (GLBTQA) University website launched.
• 2009: Domestic partnership benefits are established under the leadership of President David Hopkins and Provost Steven Angle.

The 2010s

• 2011—The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Ally Resource Room holds a grand opening in 016 Student Union as a collaborative project of Rainbow Alliance, Student Government, Counseling and Wellness, Office of Student Activities, and the Women’s Center
• 2011—Allies is re-established with weekly face-to-face meetings.
• 2011—Gender-neutral housing is established on-campus by Residence Services.
• 2011—A part-time graduate assistant is hired for LGBTQA+ initiatives by the Office of Student Affairs.
• 2011—The diversity change organization Out For Work awarded the Career Center a Bronze Certificate through their career center certification program, which is designed to enhance lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-specific resources in academic career centers across the United States.
• 2012: Transgender, Agender, Intersex, Genderqueer, and Allies (TAIGA) student committee is established.
• 2012: Allies lobbies for equity in domestic partner benefits.
• 2013—An universal restroom is added in Allyn Hall next to The Hangar.
• 2013—The diversity change organization Out For Work awarded the Career Center a Gold Certificate through their career center certification program, which is designed to enhance lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-specific resources in academic career centers across the United States.
• 2013—Wright State University participated in LGBT-friendly campus climate index national assessment tool and our overall score increases to 4.5 out of 5 stars.
• 2014—More than $10,000 is raised to establish the GLBTQA Student Scholarship.
• 2014—Black Rainbow Coalition forms as a student organization.
• 2014—Allies receives $7,500 grant from Equality Ohio to bring Laverne Cox, transgender activist, to campus for a lecture with 1,500 in attendance.
• 2015—The Office of LGBTQA Affairs is created as part of the Division of Multicultural Affairs and Community Engagement by Dr. Kimberly Barrett, vice president.
• 2015—The first director of the Office of LGBTQA Affairs is hired.
• 2015—Language and acronym shifts from gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and ally (GLBTQA) to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally (LGBTQA).
• 2015—The LGBTQA Resource Room is honored and the office celebrates the room's five year anniversary
• 2016—The LGBTQA Resource Room transitions to become the LGBTQA Community Engagement Room (a service maintained and supported by the Office of LGBTQA Affairs). Compiled by Rick Danals, Director of Student Activities. Updated by Petey Peterson, Director of LGBTQA Affairs.
• 2017- Gender Inclusive Housing Process is created in a collaboration between the Office of LGBTQA Affairs and Residential Life & Housing. 
• 2017- Preferred Name Change Process implemented for students. This allows for students chosen name to show up on class rosters, email, wright1card and more. 
• 2018- All Gender Restroom expansion project completed across campus successfully creating an all gender restroom option in almost every building on campus. 
• 2018- Rainbow Alliance has 1st Queer Prom in collaboration with the Office of LGBTQA Affairs Annual Chosen Family Feast!
• 2019- Office of LGBTQA Affairs with the LGBTQA Community Engagement Room moves from Student Union 011 & 016 to Millett Multicultural Lounge (Millett 148) to join Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center, Latinx, Asian, & Native American Affairs (LANA), and the Women's Center. 
• 2021 - Office of LGBTQA Affairs renamed to LGBTQA Center, to better reflect its partnership with other cultural and diversity centers on campus.