History of the UF Division of Student Affairs | Page 90
90
Leadership (Directors of the Institute for
H i sp a n i c- L at i n o C u lt u r e s )
Minerva Casanas-Simon
1994 - 1995
Ines Ruiz-Huston
1995 - 2002
Leticia Martinez
2002 - 2007
Natalia Leal
2007 - 2011
Dr. Eric Castillo
2011 - 2013
Dr. Olivia Garcia
2013 - 2015
Gabe Lara
2015 - Present
L e s b i a n , G ay, B i s e x u a l , a n d T r a n s g e n d e r A f f a i r s
The support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students at UF had many
challenges historically. In 1956, the Florida Legislative Investigation Committee,
called the Johns Committee after its first chairman Charley Eugene Johns, was
established by the Florida Legislature to “investigate all organizations whose
principles or activities include a course of conduct on the part of any person
or group which could constitute violence, or a violation of the laws of the state,
or would be inimical to the wellbeing and orderly pursuit of their personal
and business activities by the majority of the citizens of this state.” The Johns
Committee investigations initially targeted academics, civil rights groups, and
suspected communist organizations. However in 1961, the Florida Legislature
formally expanded the powers of the Johns Committee to include investigations
of suspected homosexuals and the “extent of [their] infiltration into agencies
supported by state funds.” According to Florida law at that time, all homosexual
acts were crimes. Therefore, faculty and staff suspected of being homosexuals
were at risk of losing their positions based on the “morality” clauses in their
contracts, and students were at risk of being expelled for “illegal” activities.
In 2003, the Supreme Courts’ Lawrence v. Texas ruling overturned state laws
against homosexuality.
The Johns Committee actually began a covert investigation of suspected
homosexuals in 1958, prior to its formal expansion of powers. Chairman Johns’
son was a UF student and believed that “effeminate instructors had perverted the
curriculum” at UF. The Johns Committee had the power to subpoena witnesses
H i s t o r y o f t h e UF D S A