LGBT survey rates MU

By Kiran Kaur

Published Oct. 2, 2007

A climate survey ranking college campuses' LGBT-friendliness rated MU highly on issues of LGBT student life but extremely low in policy inclusion, housing and campus safety.

The LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index, compiled by LGBT advocacy group Campus Pride, gives a score that reflects a university's overall recognition of the LGBT community and resources available to it.

Eight different factors determine subscores, which together comprise an overall composite score. MU received 2.5 out of five possible stars.

Sociology professor Wayne Brekhus said the rating is a good indicator of MU's performance.

"That's where we belong," he said. "I do think that student life is probably where it's stronger, (but) policy has a ways to go."

Brekhus said he has seen the LGBT climate on campus move slowly in the right direction since he began teaching at MU in 1999.

"A lot of it has to do with everyone now knowing someone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender," he said.

Brekhus said a college campus is a place where it is probably easier to come out than in other environments, such as in a small conservative town.

Groups such as the Triangle Coalition bring people of all orientations together, its president, junior Joshua Barton, said.

"Mizzou's queer community is very close knit and very accepting to anyone who wants to be a part of it," Barton said.

Brekhus suggested that there should be more academic courses incorporating LGBT-type material. He said there is usually a high demand for these types of courses, but those courses are taught fairly sporadically.

But Barton said MU's low scores in certain categories might be traced back to government issues and history.

"Curators are appointed by the governor, and when you have people like that, there's going to be a lot of politics involved," Barton said. "There's so much history and background and factors going into what we are."

The UM system Board of Curators is the governing board for all four campuses in the system.

Barton said it boils down to the legislature and curators because MU is so connected with the legislative and executive branches of Missouri's state government.

He said he doesn't believe LGBT prospective students decide whether or not to attend MU based on this score because of the strength of MU's academic programs.

"But it depends on the individual," he said.

Brekhus said there is still a long way to go, both nationally and in Missouri.

But he said he believes students will be the driving force behind changes in the future.

"A lot of improvement in campus climate is really being driven by student demand," he said.