Some universities now know students’ sexual orientations as soon as they know their names.
A handful of public and private universities are moving toward asking prospective students about their sexual orientations on admission applications. UF is not one of them.
Last year, Elmhurst College, a private school in Illinois, became the first college or university to ask prospective students on their admission applications if they identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
Students who answer “yes” are eligible for a diversity scholarship.
The University of California Academic Senate recently proposed asking students about their sexual orientations on a document that accepted students must submit before registering.
Both universities consider students’ LGBT status valuable demographic information.
By identifying students’ orientations before they arrive, universities can invite them to participate in LGBT clubs and try to protect them from bullying roommates.
UF spokesman Steve Orlando said UF doesn’t ask students any questions about sexual orientation before or after admission, and it doesn’t plan to.
Lauren B. Hannahs, director of LGBT Affairs at UF, said she sees pros and cons of the effort.
Tracking a university’s retention of LGBT students could help the school gauge the success of LGBT programs, she said. But, counts based on admission documents may not be accurate.
“Many students won’t identify [as LGBT] until after they come to college and have that experience,” she said.
Although Hannahs doesn’t expect UF to make any changes to its application, she thinks it could be a good way to put a school on the map in the LGBT community.
“By putting it on paper, it is an acknowledgement,” she said, “and then those students are recognized.”
