Campus Pride Climate Index ranks gay-friendliness of American colleges and universities just in time for ‘Back to School’

Nineteen schools nationwide make highest five-star rating; Other schools taking positive steps to 'come out' for their LGBT students

(Charlotte, NC) – As thousands of students return to their college or university campus and as many step onto campus as a new student for the first time this fall semester, they now have one complete and comprehensive national resource ranking for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusion and friendliness.

The Campus Pride LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index lists over 230 publicly available campus climate reports online at www.campusclimateindex.org. The nationally praised Index takes an in-depth look at LGBT-friendly policies, programs and practices. Colleges are ranked from one to five stars, depending on their answers to a detailed, voluntary questionnaire submitted to Campus Pride, a national non-profit working to create safer, more LGBT-inclusive colleges and build future LGBT and ally leaders. In development since 2001, the Index has become a staple in student and faculty research, campus organizing efforts and benchmarking for LGBT student safety and inclusion on campus.

Each summer, university officials are encouraged to fill out new questionnaires and update their Index profiles. This year, the Campus Climate Index is proud to announce five-star rankings for 19 colleges and universities – the most ever achieving the Index’s highest ranking since the its inception in 2007-08.

I know, everyone has been talking about it already, but I just have a few things I want to say about Maine. First, the good news. We know that 52% of Maine’s general population voted to overturn the law allowing same-sex marriage. But, if you take a look at this story from The Maine Campus, the University of Maine’s student newspaper, you will see a stark contrast and a glimmer of hope for America’s future. Students voted overwhelmingly in support of marriage equality – a full 81% of students voted no on 1. So even though we’ve lost the battle, the war is still ours for the taking if we have patience. While the hate-mongering and lies of the religious right may convince the Baby Boomers, the younger generations aren’t having any of it, and it’s only a matter of time until we have the majority.

Campus Pride College Fair Comes to Massachusetts Statehouse to Recruit Out LGBT & Ally Students on Wednesday, September 30th

National fair program partners with Friends of GLBT Youth, Inc to provide state-wide outreach to youth and families

Boston, MA, Wed, September 16, 2009 -- In less than two weeks, Campus Pride (www.campuspride.org) comes to the Massachusetts Statehouse in Boston to host its national college fair, the only program in the nation for out lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and ally students to find LGBT-friendly colleges. The fair will take place on Wed, September 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Great Hall/Grand Staircase. The fair is in partnership with Friends of GLBT Youth, Inc based locally in Boston, MA . More information available at http://www.campusclimateindex.org/events.

There are nearly thirty colleges currently registered to attend the fair from across the country including: Babson College, Brandeis University, Brown University, Bridgewater State College, Case Western Reserve University, Columbia College Chicago, Colby-Sawyer College, Dartmouth College, Emory University, Emerson College, Goddard College, Harvard College, Haverford College, Pitzer College, Suffolk University, Susquehanna University, Trinity College, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Maine Farmington, University of New Hampshire, University of Southern Maine, University of Vermont, University of Maine, University of Pennsylvania, Ursinus College and Yale University.