Campus Pride releases its bestest gay-friendly campuses. Have a Gaytastic Day!

[CountDeMoney]

I noticed that the University of Wyoming isn't on the list. BANG DING OW

Campus Pride, a nationally-recognized organization dedicated to making colleges and universities safer, more inclusive spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals, released its annual list of the "Top 25-LGBT Friendly Colleges And Universities" in the country today.

The organization determined the listing, which presents the 25 schools in alphabetical, rather than ranked, order, by utilizing the data gathered from the Campus Pride Index. "Campus Pride's Index is the only one of its kind," said Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer. "Unlike other commercially-driven rankings, our ratings are done for and by LGBT people and set in a foundation of solid research practice."

Each campus included in the final listing achieved 5 stars overall in the index, plus 5 stars in sexual orientation and 5 stars in gender identity/expression for an LGBT-friendly campus. In addition, the campuses had to have 4.5 stars or above (or the highest percentages) in all eight LGBT-friendly factors.

Free of charge, any college or university is invited to participate in the index by self-assessing their campus climate through a set of 50+ questions, corresponding to eight different LGBT-Friendly factors:

1. LGBT Policy Inclusion
2. LGBT Support & Institutional Commitment
3. LGBT Academic Life
4. LGBT Student Life
5. LGBT Housing
6. LGBT Campus Safety
7. LGBT Counseling & Health
8. LGBT Recruitment and Retention Efforts.

As part of the branding process of "LGBT-friendly" undergone by the universities taking part in Campus Pride's Index, universities have the opportunity to "come out" and claim that label within the index itself. "By doing so [coming 'out'] these campuses are taking active responsibility for their LGBT campus community," said Windmeyer. "The Campus Pride Index grew for the seventh consecutive year, but there are still many, many other colleges and universities who have yet to 'come out' for their LGBT students and then take adequate steps to protect and ensure a safe, welcoming learning environment." Windmeyer also noted that in 2011, only 290 colleges were listed as "out" on the index, while as of Aug. 14, 2013, the group now includes almost 400.

The efforts of Campus Pride over the past several years have, in turn, encouraged and aided colleges and universities to make policy changes and take steps toward ensuring that their campuses cater to LGBT individuals and a diverse range of experiences. In a statement to The Huffington Post, Windmeyer stated that in the five years since Campus Pride began implementing their index as an assessment tool, the organization has learned and translated an immense amount of information to university officials in regards to LGBT campus life, specifically transgender issues, health and well-being, and recrutiment/retention efforts. Campus Pride intends for the the index questionnaire to be more than just a ranking system, but also a guide for universities and colleges that want to make institutional changes in order to make their campuses safer spaces for LGBT students.

Note: The list only features colleges and universities residing inside the United States.

Carleton College
Case Western Reserve University
Connecticut College
Ithaca College
Macalester College
Oberlin College
Portland State University
Princeton University
Rutgers University
Southern Oregon University
Stanford University
The Ohio State University
University of California, Riverside
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota – Duluth
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
University of Oregon
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
University of Washington
Washington State University

[Ed Anger]

Oberlin. I'M SHOCKED

[CountDeMoney]

Oberlin. I'M SHOCKED

OSU didn't surprise me--there's a reason Columbus is called the San Fransisco of the Midwest--but I was kinda surprised about Case Western;  granted, it was on the progressive hipster side when my sister went there, but it seemed more...uptight.

[derspiess]

Surprised they didn't just say "ALL OF THEM"

[garbon]

Surprised they didn't just say "ALL OF THEM"

?

[Ed Anger]

Surprised they didn't just say "ALL OF THEM"

I don't think Cederville likes the fags.

[CountDeMoney]

Surprised they didn't just say "ALL OF THEM"

Like Oral Roberts U and Liberty?

[derspiess]

Okay, all of them but the religious schools.  Sheez.

Anyway, I read this morning that all the "hate" incidents at Oberlin earlier this year were a big hoax.  Whoops

[CountDeMoney]

Okay, all of them but the religious schools.  Sheez.

Which t-shirt would you want more: Bluefield State College or Bluefield College?

[PDH]

Wyoming made the top 25 of bad for gay schools.

I think that is just brand recognition because the campus is in Laramie.

[CountDeMoney]

You'd think all that Village People cowboy decor would be attractive to teh gay.

[Malthus]

Anyway, I read this morning that all the "hate" incidents at Oberlin earlier this year were a big hoax.  Whoops

What's this?

[derspiess]

Anyway, I read this morning that all the "hate" incidents at Oberlin earlier this year were a big hoax.  Whoops

What's this?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/04/oberlin-cancels-classes_n_2805573.html

It was all over the news last winter/spring.

[The Brain]

As long as you only have to be gay-friendly I'm fine with it.

[derspiess]

Took me a while to find a non-conservative source about it being a hoax, but here:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/the-oberlin-college-hate-incidents-cruel-provocateurs-at-work/278979/