Campus Pride ranking highlights positive work done for LGBT students

(Ashland, Ore) Southern Oregon University (SOU) is among the top 25 campuses in America that are friendly to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students, according to Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit organization for student leaders and campus groups working to support LGBT-friendly learning environments at colleges and universities. SOU is the smallest public university to make the top 25 list.“We are honored to be recognized by Campus Pride,” says SOU Queer Resource Center Coordinator Janelle Wilson. “SOU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion undoubtedly fosters an environment where all of our student feel safe, supported and able to take advantage of everything the university has to offer. Partnerships with our Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies program, University Housing, the Health and Wellness Center, Student Life, the resource centers (and others) continue provide meaningful and connected learning.”
Campus Pride determined the listing 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.

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.

Here are the top 25-ranked colleges and universities in alphabetical order.
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