A group of Saint Mary's faculty and staff have banded together to provide a confidential resource network for students struggling with sexuality issues.

The organization, which consists of eight faculty and staff volunteers in various departments across the College, aims to provide dialogue and resources for students dealing with pregnancy, sexual assault, sexual orientation and sexual experiences.

Volunteers will provide access to both on-campus and off-campus resources to help students deal with sexuality issues.

The organization, called "Connections," launched last week after a year of preparation and training for volunteers. The volunteers in the network were "carefully screened" and have been trained to listen, said Lisa Karle, a volunteer in the network.

"One of the big concerns expressed ... was that the campus wasn't safe to talk about sexuality," said Catherine Pittman, who helped organize the network. "We want to be supportive for students."

The volunteers have developed a list of both on-campus and off-campus resources they trust for students to talk to about sexuality issues, Pittman said.

"I don't like to send students places where I haven't had contact with the individuals," Pittman said.

Most of the volunteers have not been formally trained to be counselors, but have gone through in-house training sessions at the College. The goal of "Connections" is to place students in contact with professionals who can help them.

Volunteers also aim clarify policies and services at the College regarding sexuality issues, and many have helped students with sexuality problems before.

"A student worker of mine was pregnant and was sure she'd be kicked out of school," said Karle. "I showed her the handbook where it said no, she wouldn't."

But the student came to her because she knew her, Karle said.

"She was really scared," said Karle. "People are going to feel more comfortable

going to someone they've had contact with."

"We're the people out on the front lines that people do come to," Pittman said.

The formation of the network came from a recommendation from the president-appointed Committee on Holistic Formation, which was assigned the task of finding a way to discuss sexuality issues on campus. The group is officially sponsored by the College, Pittman said.

The launching of "Connections" comes on the heels of several controversial situations regarding sexuality at the College during the past year.

* Administrators last February would not condone an official campus performance

of Eve Ensler's "Vagina Monologues," a critically-acclaimed play dealing with issues of women's sexuality, including date rape, homosexuality and genital mutilation.

* Small student discussion groups were convened by administrative invitations late last Spring to brainstorm ideas about how sexuality could be discussed on campus. The groups were sparsely attended, and many were cancelled.

* An independent student group formed in early November to provide abortion

clinics escorts, distribute condoms from their rooms, provide information about STD testing, planned parenthood. birth control and AIDS ministry. Vice President for Student Affairs Linda Timm said after the announcement the College "will not support" the student initiative.

But the College-sponsored "Connections" could be a sign that the College is willing to more openly discuss issues of sexuality, Pittman said.

"The tide is shifting," Pittman said. "There was a time when people wished that issues of sexuality would just go away. It's a slow process, but things have changed."

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