The task force committee the chancellor proposed to help ease the tension caused by his comments relating homosexuality to “sinful behavior” now appears to be taking shape, as casual conversations have begun between the administration and a member of the gay community.

In a meeting with the DAILY EGYPTIAN’s editorial board earlier this month, Chancellor Walter Wendler said conversations he had with concerned citizens made him consider developing a task force or committee that would examine gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual equality issues. He said he envisioned it as including members of the administration, faculty, staff, students and members of the community.

At the moment the idea is still very fluid, as Paulette Curkin, co-director of the SIUC Triangle Coalition, and John Dunn, provost and vice chancellor, met Thursday for initial discussions about the issues affecting the gay community on campus.

“It was a very good meeting,” Dunn said. “Both of us are reviewing our calendars and will continue to talk and develop a course of action.”

Curkin said she was pleased with the meeting and hopes that they can work together to make the campus a safer and more inviting environment for gay students and employees.

She said one way they can do that is by examining a list of 38 recommendations made by the Triangle Coalition, including the development of a task force.

“He just essentially assured me of his commitment of the issues,” Curkin said. “I just feel really good that we are going to work well together.”

Dunn said it is too premature to estimate where the conversations will lead, but said that his first priority is to make sure the same-sex benefits policy is properly implemented. Dunn said “less than a handful” of employees have signed up for the benefits.

Curkin said the low number of employees taking advantage of the benefits is no surprise.

“I think any time you make the environment safer for people to come out, you are going to get more people to come forward,” Curkin said. “But there is not going to be hordes of people signing up. That is just not going to happen.”

Dunn said talks focusing on what needs to be done and what is going to be the most effective way to accomplish change will resume by the end of the month.

“This campus has long prided itself on responsiveness to a diverse student, faculty and employee population,” Dunn said. “The diversity that is evident here in its many forms is one of our strengths and it is something we must sustain as we continue to develop and enhance our University.”