The University of Oregon prides itself on providing a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for all students. The university was recently honored for that inclusiveness by being listed among “The 25 Best Colleges and Universities for LGBT Students” according to Buzzfeed.
“We are pleased and honored to be recognized in the top 25 campuses along with two other Oregon universities,” said Chicora Martin, director of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Education and Support Services Program at the UO.
Buzzfeed’s list was based on the annual Campus Prides Index, produced by Campus Pride, a national nonprofit organization that works to create safer and a more LGBT-friendly learning environment at colleges and universities. The index is based on 50 questions covering eight different LGBT factors: LGBT policy inclusion, LGBT support and institutional commitment, LGBT academic life, LGBT student life, LGBT housing, LGBT campus safety, LGBT counseling and health, and LGBT recruitment and retention efforts.
“We are very aware that we must continue to be proactive to the needs of LGBTQ students, faculty and staff to ensure we have a welcoming and support campus where individuals from diverse sexual orientations and gender identities can live, learn and teach,” said Martin.
As part of the list, Buzzfeed cited the university’s Standing Committee for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns that was organized in 1990 as the President’s Committee on Lesbian and Gay Issues and been pivotal in ensuring the UO is a welcoming and inclusive campus.
“The fact that we have been on the top 25 list since its inception demonstrates how important our continued work is in this area,” said Martin. “We are always looking for campus partners in our work.”
For more information about the university’s commitment to providing education and support services that enhance the academic and personal growth of its students, visit the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Education and Support Services Program at UOut.
- by Melissa Foley, Public Affairs Communications