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By: EARTHA JANE MELZE
COMMENTS
 
In a historic first for the state of Virginia, an openly gay man has been appointed to the board of a major public university.
Jeff Trammell, a public affairs professional and former gay issues adviser to the Al Gore and John Kerry presidential campaigns, has been named by Virginia Gov. Mark Warner to the 17-member William & Mary College Board of Visitors for a four-year term. William & Mary, in Williamsburg, is the nation’s second oldest university and was recently named by Newsweek as the nation’s “hottest small state school.”
Trammell is an alumnus of William & Mary and former captain of the school’s basketball team. His career has included serving as counsel to the Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, as managing director of Hill & Knowlton’s public affairs division, and as co-chair of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and member of the Human Rights Campaign’s board of directors.
“It is immensely rewarding and challenging to help lead a university,” Trammell said. “I think increasingly we will see gay and lesbian trustees of major universities, and I hope that there are many more that follow me.”
Trammell said that William & Mary has a rich tradition of producing distinguished contributors to the gay and lesbian community such as John Boswell, a historian later affiliated with Yale University who did pioneering work on same-sex marriage and Christopher Bram, author of gay-themed works including “Gods & Monsters”.
“My responsibility will be to the college overall,” Trammell said. “But one part will be to make sure that GLBT students have the same experience that everyone else does at the college, and that we make sure that it is a place where sexual orientation is not an issue.”
Trammell said his background of involvement in the gay and lesbian community is an important part of why Governor Warner, a Democrat, appointed him to the board of visitors, which is the policy-making body for the university.
Trammell’s background as a liaison between gay groups and institutions could be helpful in his board position. Recent reports of anti-gay and racist incidents at the University of Virginia have underscored the need for leadership in education on diversity issues, Trammell said.
“UVA officials are on top of it and have been working hard on raising awareness,” Trammell said. “But there needs to be continual leadership and education and an emphasis that [discriminatory acts] will not be tolerated.”
One of the major priorities of the William & Mary board, Trammell said, is to make sure that the university is diverse, and accordingly, one current goal is to double the number of lower income students at the school.
Dyana Mason, executive director of Equality Virginia, welcomed the news of Trammell’s appointment.
“It is not just enough to be a leader in the gay community, I think it is also important that we are leaders in the wider community. … It really opens up dialogue.
“Following our own individual interests outside of the gay community, joining a homeowner’s association, a local chamber, running for local office, being active and being willing to be openly gay in those situations can really help change hearts and minds.”
Trammell expressed similar sentiments.
“One of the next steps for our community is to make sure that there is a gay or lesbian person on the boards of universities and corporations in this country as we ensure that the community is reflected at every level of governing institution around the country.”
Veteran gay rights activist Frank Kameny said getting openly gay people into positions of influence in all kinds of contexts is crucially important.
“Twenty or thirty years ago, … it would’ve been the kiss of death to be known openly as gay when it came to political appointments,” Kameny said. “Now openly gay people are appearing everywhere, and it is a very welcome development. Nevertheless it hasn’t quite reached the level … where it isn’t important. It is still important to note every advance.”
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