A group set on promoting diversity has arrived on campus.

Along with five other people, Jason Hare, freshman Spanish major, has started the Bisexuals, Gays, Lesbian and Allies for Diversity group at Missouri Southern. B-GLAD was formed because Hare did not see any other groups for diversity on the campus.

“So, we put one together,” Hare said.

A similar group is already in place at East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.

Hare said he contacted the East Coast group and adopted its constitution, as well as sharing the name.

The group was started to help promote numerous forms of diversity in life. Hare said he wanted a group where people of different sexual orientations, be it straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transsexual, could all attend.

Dr. Christie Cathey, assistant professor of psychology, is the faculty adviser for the group.

“I think it’s important for this group to exist as a haven for people,” Cathey said. “There’s not a lot of diversity in this part of the country.”

Hare said the group lets people know they are not alone. He also hopes the group will attract gays to the University.

“If they’re not from this area, they’re not going to be attracted to this area if it’s so closed,” he said. “It’s good to know there are other people.”

So far, Hare said there are five members in the group plus him, and they have 36 people on their mailing list.

They have encountered dissension to the organization. While liberals have given them a good response, Hare said conservatives have not been so friendly.

“We’ve heard some preaching,” he said.

He said one lady spent an hour preaching to him when his group had a table set up in Billingsly Student Center, along with SPEAK and the College Democrats. He said the trio works closely together, and some of the members are even “cross members” into the other groups.

He doesn’t let the dissenters get to him. He said he isn’t trying to change people’s views, so he isn’t going to argue with anyone about it.

“I don’t see that it does any good, generally,” he said. “They won’t give up and you just have to learn to tune them out. We’re not here to be a negative power.”

While a similar group called the Gay Straight Alliance was formed years ago, it did not last on the campus. Hare hopes to change that. Even though this is a hard organization to “get off the ground,” he said he hopes to make it last.

To do that, he said they have to go public and let people know they’re here and not going anywhere. He also has to get the group dependent not on the leadership, but rather on the body.

“I hope to get people alive,” he said.

“The founders hope that once they leave, the organization can continue after they’re gone,” Cathey said.

The group also promotes diversity in religion. Currently, there are numerous different religions practiced by different members of the group, including Judaism and Unity.

“Already we’ve got the religious thing,” Hare said.

While it is new to the campus, the group is already working on different projects, including making safe-zones with different faculty members. The safe-zone will be where students can go and speak with an adult about their problems without fear of ridicule.

“It’s freedom to speak your mind without consequences,” he said.

The safe-zones should be put into effect in the spring semester. The group meets at 3 p.m. every Monday in Billingsly, Room 311. Hare invites everyone interested to attend. He said there is just one qualification for members.

“The qualification is you can’t hate gay people and be a member,” he said.