By Laurie Creasy and Allison Subasic, Penn State
Penn State recently aced the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index with a five-star rating, one of only 33 universities out of 300 participating to receive top honors.
“The initial form was very complex and took a long time to fill out,” said Allison Subasic, director of Penn State’s LGBTA Student Resource Center, of the 50-point self-assessment questionnaire developed by Campus Pride.
The index measures participant responses to questions covering eight factors: policy inclusion, support and institutional commitment, academic life, student life, housing, campus safety, counseling and health, and recruitment and retention efforts. Though the questionnaire was developed primarily for students, the questions also cover attitudes toward faculty and staff.
“The index measures the basics a campus needs to be considered welcoming,” Subasic said, “although hopefully it goes beyond that.”
The participating college or university receives a confidential report about its responses, a one- to five-star LGBT-friendly rating and recommendations for improvement.
While Penn State has gotten a five-star rating since the index began in 2008, this coming year Campus Pride will be making climate requirements more stringent by including information about how campuses provide specific services for transgendered students, Subasic said.
The LGBTA Student Resource Center plays a key role in welcoming LGBTA students to Penn State and providing services for the community, she said.
“We have one of the best centers in the country. We have amazing programs, resources, student interns, policies on campus and we have an active alumni group.”
For more information about Penn State’s rating, visit online. There, visitors will find the questions asked on the survey, statements from members of the University’s LGBT and ally communities, and information on Penn State LGBTA-friendly classes and organizations.
The philosophy behind the index: Every college and university has the power and responsibility to enhance the campus experience for everyone, including LGBT and ally students.
“We’re not perfect,” Subasic said, “but we have the policies, procedures and a supportive administration in place, and that’s the most important thing.”
To learn more about the LGBTA Student Resource Center, visit online.