EXCERPT -- Read the entire AP Story online at http://news.yahoo.com/most-us-colleges-not-asking-sexual-orientation-084...

By TAMMY WEBBER - Associated Press

ELMHURST, Illinois (AP) — Gary Rold didn't necessarily consider himself a pioneer when he decided that Elmhurst College would begin asking applicants about their sexual orientation.

"I thought from the recruitment standpoint we might be more proactive" in attracting gay and lesbian students, said Rold, admissions dean at the small, private liberal arts school tucked in a middle-class Chicago suburb. He also wanted to make sure the students got any help they needed. "I realized that many of them come to college feeling really isolated and alienated."

Rold's decision touched off a flurry of publicity after advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students lauded Elmhurst as the first in the nation to ask applicants about sexual orientation — an idea that has gotten little traction elsewhere. Now the question is, will other colleges follow suit?

Advocates say that besides being a recruiting tool to help diversify campuses, openly assessing a school's LGBT population would make colleges more aware of needs such as finding tolerant roommates and providing appropriate health care. And it would send a positive message to prospective students who may have faced discrimination in high school.

But officials at other colleges, especially those that are large and well-known, say they don't need to ask because they already have reputations for being diverse and inclusive, and a student's sexual orientation would have no bearing on admission. Others wonder if some schools worry about the controversy such a question might generate.

Nevertheless, the idea of asking about sexual orientation is not likely to go away.

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Over the last few years, a growing visible population of LGBT youth have emerged for college recruitment efforts. These out LGBT youth want to find colleges that not only meet their academic needs but also provide a welcoming, safe, accepting environment. More and more colleges want to actively reach out to these LGBT youth and share their LGBT-friendly programs and services. Campus Pride provides an analysis of LGBT recruitment strategies, trends and observations from its National LGBT-Friendly College Fair Program and its LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index . The webinar will also feature a guests from a few of the leading LGBT-Friendly colleges and universities across the country. Learn how your campus can recruit out LGBT students for the future.

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The University of Pennsylvania's admissions office is making history. This year, after those highly anticipated fat envelopes get mailed out, some students will receive an additional letter telling them about the vibrant queer community at Penn.

In an initiative to recruit more LGBTQ and Ally students, their campus organization the Lambda Alliance has teamed up with the school's admissions officers. According to this article which appeared in Penn's student newspaper yesterday, if an accepted student's admissions file reveals that they are a strong ally or if they come out in their personal statement, the admissions office will flag the files. These flagged files will then be sent a letter that is currently being crafted by the Lambda Alliance Vice Chairman for Communications Julia Moon. Students who write that they have not yet come out to their family or that they aren't comfortable with public knowledge of their sexuality will not be sent a letter.

This technique has long been employed by the University for racial and ethnic minority students, but this is the first time they will reach out to LGBT students specifically.

What do you think about this?

Do you think it's helpful, or an invasion of privacy?

Were concerns about LGBT life factored into your college decision?

Has your organization ever thought about approaching the admissions office?

Does your admissions office have up-to-date information about LGBT life at your school? Do they have pamphlets about your organization (if you have them)? Queer student representation at prospective or accepted student events?

Thinking of transferring or know any high school students?

“Good Morning, Baltimore.” I arrived yesterday in Baltimore, MD. And I had to make a Hairspray Musical reference at least once. I guess this is the official start to the Campus Pride Fall travel season. Woo Hoo!

Although I am not at a college, I am attending for our first time the National Association of College Admission Counselors Conference (NACAC) hosted this year in Baltimore, MD. The theme of the conference has something to do with “crabs” – so I took a picture of one of the volunteers. Poor thing. All I could think about was Mr. Crabby Patty from the cartoon Sponge Bob Square Pants. She was a good sport and let me take a photo. Thanks!

While this is not a LGBT conference, Campus Pride has invested time and money into doing outreach around our LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index (www.campusclimateindex.org). Our goal being at the conference is to make more colleges aware of the Index, our LGBT-friendly college fairs and how to best recruit openly LGBT students to their campus. Campus Pride submitted two workshops to the conference and presented one today, the other one will be tomorrow. The workshop today was in collaboration with our educational partner the Point Foundation (www.pointfoundation.org) --who is simply fabulous. Campus Pride loves working with Point Foundation. Todays workshop will hopefully be one of many more educational efforts we do together in the future.