In the Sept. 12 issue of The Beacon, an article addressed the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender-Friendly Campus Climate Index. Based on a five star rating system conducted by Campus Pride, the University earned two and a half stars. The Beacon thinks that the University needs to take the necessary initiatives to improve its scores, essentially improving an LGBT student’s experience at the University.
The system rates campus gay-friendliness based on answers provided by students, faculty and staff. The climate score was comprised of the following subcategories – LGBT policy inclusion, support and institutional commitment, academic life, student life, housing, campus safety, and counseling and health.
One of the lowest scores the University earned deals directly with recruitment. The Beacon agrees that the University, in addition to bolstering support for on-campus groups that currently exist such as the Stonewall Pride Alliance, LGBT Advocacy Coalition, Stonewall 2 BBC and Delta Lambda Phi fraternity, should create more programs that further attract LGBT youth.
We commend the Women’s Studies department for their intuitive and proactive approach by creating a new certificate in Queer Studies, which will debut in Spring 2012. It is a step in the right direction to cultivating an environment of inclusiveness and diversity in sexual orientation.
The Faculty Senate wrote, “the Certificate in Queer Studies fills a particularly acute need both at the University and in Miami. The University of Florida at Gainesville offers an undergraduate Minor in Theories and Politics of Sexuality through their Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research, but no such certificate or undergraduate program exists anywhere in South Florida.”
While we applaud the creation of this program, Queer/LGBT studies should not be limited to one department. The Beacon hopes that all liberal arts education programs take note.
One of the seven concepts addressed in the questionnaire pertains to the availability of scholarships to LGBT students and allies. According to Campus Pride, the University does not offer these student scholarships. However, other Florida universities such as the University of Florida do, which is one of the reasons why they earned a higher score than FIU.
The University received one and a half stars for public safety. The survey found that students were disappointed in the lack of training safety officers received. According to Giovanni Correale, Stonewall Alliance president, campus police are not educated on sexual orientation issues. Campus Safety was unavailable for comment. All on-campus officers should undergo the necessary training to assure all students, including LGBT students, are safe.
As enrollment continues to increase and the student population diversifies, The Beacon believes that the University must create programs and enact policies to promote safety and belonging amongst all students.
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