LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index

I had previously posted about TopOutColleges.com and a reader passed along to me more information on campus climate indexes. Here is a press release about the LGBT Friendly Campus Climate Index- http://www.campusclimateindex.org/release.aspx. Also, you can find information about LGBT College Admission Fairs @ http://www.campusclimateindex.org/collegefairrelease.aspxThe following contains some highlights from the press release about the Climate Index:

LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index Sets National Standard for Higher Learning - New Online Tool Measures Progress and Highlights Gay-Friendliness of Colleges and Universities

CHARLOTTE, September 27, 2007 - Now is the time for colleges and universities to reach out to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students. This week, Campus Pride launched the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index ( www.campusclimateindex.org ), the only online resource of its kind that assists colleges and universities in learning ways to make the educational experience more inclusive, welcoming and respectful of LGBT and Ally people.

To date, nearly one hundred public and private four- year campuses are listed online, and nearly twice that have committed to an assessment in the near future. In development since 2001, the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index was created in response to the increasing demand for tools and resources to support campuses in assessing LGBT-Friendly programs, policies and practices. The index was developed by Campus Pride with a team of national LGBT researchers, including: Brett Genny Beemyn, Ph.D.; Susan R. Rankin, Ph.D.; and Shane L. Windmeyer, M.S, Ed.

Every campus listed online has participated in a comprehensive self-assessment process based on more than 50 questions under eight different LGBT-friendly categories. Each institution participating in the voluntary program receives a confidential report with results and recommendations to improve the quality of campus life for LGBT & Ally people. "Not only do campuses now have a way to measure their LGBT-Friendly progress, but prospective LGBT & Ally students and their families have a reliable and free public resource to help find the schools that are the most committed to providing a respectful learning environment," said Windmeyer.