Trial of former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi highlights crucial responsibility of college and university administrators and staff in keeping LGBT students safe on campus

Campus Pride, the leading national non-profit working to make colleges and universities safer and more inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students, today marked the end of the weeks-long trial of former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi by issuing a call for all colleges to heed the lesson Rutgers officials were forced to learn as tragic events unfolded on their campus and to immediately implement the necessary policies, programs and practices to keep their LGBT students safe.

Ravi, accused of using his webcam to spy on his gay roommate Tyler Clementi during a sexual encounter with an unnamed male partner, was found guilty of several counts of invasion of privacy and guilty of several counts of bias intimidation toward Tyler Clementi, among other charges. The case attracted national attention after Clementi died by suicide in September 2010.

During the trial, details regarding Ravi’s and Clementi’s relationship as roommates and Clementi’s request to Rutgers housing officials for a room change underscored the single most important but least talked about issue since Clementi’s tragic death two years ago: The responsibility of college administrators, faculty and staff to keep their LGBT students safe.

“Though the trial has ended, there are no verdicts, no words and no sentiments that will ever bring Tyler Clementi back to his friends and to his family,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride. “Additionally, this trial’s conclusion will not end the daily torment and harassment of LGBT students on college and university campuses across the nation.

"College and university professionals have an obligation to recognize the crucial role and responsibility they have in creating safer environments for LGBT students,” Windmeyer added. “Tragedies can be averted and lives can be saved when students feel safe and accepted and when universities are proactive in their approach to campus climate and the academic success of all students."

Simple and commonsense steps could have prevented Clementi’s suicide. Since his death, Rutgers University has made several steps in bridging the gap between their LGBT students’ needs and the campus’ offered services, but too many colleges refuse to see the consequences of inaction and remain unsafe for LGBT students.

Of more than 4,000 colleges and universities across the U.S., less than 10 percent have opted to voluntarily assess their campus’ policies and practices using the Campus Pride LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index (www.campusprideindex.org). Less than seven percent of schools offer institutional support to LGBT students, such as an LGBT student center or programs director. Only 13 percent offer non-discrimination protections on the basis of sexual orientation and just six percent protect students on the basis of gender identity. Only one school, Illinois’ Elmhurst University, asks students demographic questions about sexual orientation and gender identity on its admissions application.

“The mere presence of an LGBT student organization or LGBT-inclusive policies will not make a campus safer for students,” said Windmeyer. “Concrete policy implementation put into immediate practice is necessary – constant work that includes listening to and including the voices of LGBT students and taking decisive and proactive steps to respond to their needs before tragedy occurs, not afterward.”

Campus Pride calls on all colleges and universities to take steps now to fully include LGBT students on their campuses and to create safer, more welcoming environments where LGBT students can grow in their academic careers. Programs and policy implementation – such as anti-discrimination policies, safe and inclusive student conduct codes, gender-neutral housing, LGBT living-learning communities, hate-crime and bias-motivated incident response and LGBT-inclusive healthcare – are not optional.

“University administrators, faculty, campus housing staff and other trained professionals are paid to teach and to keep students safe,” said Windmeyer. “When professionals fail to do their jobs, students are unable to do theirs – to learn and to grow academically – and tragic incidents of suicide, hazing and bias-motivated violence became an all-too-real possibility. No student should ever live in fear for their own safety or struggle to be comfortable with themselves in the face of harassment.”

Media Contact:
Matt Comer, Communications & Programs Director
Office: 704-277-6710, ext. 6. Mobile: 336-391-9528. Email: [email protected]

This year Campus Pride goes GAGA and partners once again with CAMPUSPEAK to bring progressive ideas, webinars, events, speakers and dynamic resources to your campus. Both organizations are committed to building future leaders and creating safer, more welcoming learning environments for all students.

Now you can register and have a CHANCE TO WIN FREE SPEAKERS, RESOURCES & MANY MORE PRIZES (valued at $10,000+) throughout the year. The first drawing will happen in March 2012.

Every individual from your campus may register, so spread the word!

Click here to register in the drawing today!. Learn more about the prizes at www.campuspride.org/bornthisgaycampustour.asp.

Campus Pride praises the University of California Academic Senate annd Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools for their recommendation to allow incoming students to identify their sexual orientation and gender identity. (Read more via University of California's The Daily Bruin and CBS Los Angeles.)

The questions, which are planned to be optional, will allow university administrators and staff to more adequately prepare for and serve the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students on their campus.

"Colleges and universities are responsible for the education and safety of their LGBT students -- a school cannot provide necessary services or maintain proper safety and campus climate without first knowing who are the out LGBT students attending their school," said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride. "Demographic questions asking students about their sexual orientation and gender identity will give university administrators the data they need to properly implement LGBT-inclusive policies and practices. Institutions should be held responsible for student safety, retention and academic success of every student -- the addition of identity questions finally make this possible for LGBT students."

Illinois' Elmhurst College is the only college or university in the U.S. to add similar questions to their undergraduate admissions application. The question was first asked last year in Fall 2011. Five percent of applicants voluntarily identified themselves as LGBT in the first semester of applications.

The LGBT demographic questions will appear on the University of California's Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) forms. The question was also recently approved to appear on forms within California's Cal State and community college systems. A dozen other colleges have inquired with Campus Pride about the addition of such a question and a number colleges in addition to the University of California system have also been reported as considering the question such as Duke University, Yale School of Law and Harvard University.

Campus Pride encourages University of California Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Lawrence H. Pitts to provide final approval for the addition of the question for the safety, responsibility and academic success of every student.

LGBT youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers. There are many causes that contribute to this tragic statistic, but fortunately several organizations have stepped up to help young people across the country. This month on Outbeat Youth, we are spending the entire hour talking about LGBT youth suicide with the Trevor Project and the It Gets Better Project. Staff from the Trevor Project will share the work they are doing to prevent this loss of life including how they train their volunteers who work in the 24 hour a day call centers. We will also be joined by the creator of the It Gets Better Project, Dan Savage, who will share his inspiration for creating this now viral Internet video campaign. Dan is passionate about supporting young people and is working closely with organizations, including Campus Pride, to take his message of to young people everywhere.

Tune in at 8PM (PST) on Sunday, March 25, 2012 to KRCB Radio, streaming live worldwide at www.outbeatyouth.com. The show will be available for download the next day on iTunes or on the website above.

Left: Hudson Taylor speaks to attendees at Campus Pride's VIP Pep Rally Fundraiser in Charlotte.
Right: UNC Charlotte student Paul Willoughby and Wake Forest University student Tyler Kirchhoff.

Many thanks go out to the wonderful people who both attended and made possible Campus Pride's special VIP Pep Rally Fundraiser with straight ally, Athlete Ally founder, NCAA wrestler and Columbia University wrestling coach Hudson Taylor.

Hudson really lit up the room with his uplifting story and message.

"Victory through unity," he said, "and we'll all come out better in the end."

We also heard from two students, Paul Willoughby of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Tyler Kirchhoff of Wake Forest University. Both participated in Campus Pride's and the Human Rights Campaign's Carolinas Young Adult Leadership Summit in Charlotte in February.

Thanks to our wonderful host Larry Brady for volunteering the use of his beautiful home. Thanks also to Armin and Gary of Armin's Catering (and their wonderful staff!), our phenom volunteer Melanie Mosberg, Takeover Friday for helping to promote the event and, of course, Hudson Taylor and all of our Pep Rally attendees and donors. You are each appreciated!

Safety for transgender college students needs to be a priority. According to Campus Pride's 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT People, less than 7 percent of institutions of higher education have inclusive nondiscrimination polices with regard to gender identity and expression of transgender students, faculty, and staff. More than a third of all transgender students, faculty, and staff fear for their physical safety, and over half attempt to hide their transgender identity to avoid intimidation and harassment on campus.

On Feb. 7, 2012, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Chancellor Holden Thorp rejected a student- and faculty-led proposal to adopt a gender-non-specific housing program. At the time national organizations like Campus Pride noted concern and displeasure at Thorp's decision and its failure to meet the safety needs of UNC-Chapel Hill's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) student population.

Read the rest of this commentary by Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer at The Huffington Post...

The following is a guest post from Jeremy Billow, a student at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. Jeremy attended the Campus Pride and Human Rights Campaign Carolinas Young Adult Leadership Summit, Feb. 24-25, where he shared news about how students in his college town were organizing to support fellow students who had been the victims of a hate crime. We're happy Jeremy gets to share that story with you today, as well.

Having now spent over half my life growing up in the South, I feel like I’ve participated in every stereotypical cliché there is: most which, oddly enough, involve sweet tea and/or pork barbecue. And while my non-local friends poke fun at me, and it’s all well and good, the one that bugs me is the idea of blind, irrational hate. The vibe I’ve always gotten from my peers was that this wasn’t a problem, but unfortunately this isn’t always the case.

On February 11, 2012, my community, Appalachian State University, was victim to an incredibly violent hate crime towards the LGBT community. Junior Erin Johnston and Sarabeth Nordstrom were harassed in public for their perceived sexual identity, followed, and ultimately brutally beaten at their own apartment. Sarabeth suffered a broken eyesocket, nasal cavity, and cheekbone and Erin received fractured ribs and torn cartilage among other things.

Thankfully, the assailant had the conscience to turn himself in soon after. Unfortunately, while there are federal level laws for hate crimes based on sexual orientation, my state of North Carolina does not. Instead, state laws only recognize hate crimes based on religion, race, color, gender, and national origin; Nowhere to be found is sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity.

When we the students heard this, there was a quick rally to change this. A petition was soon started to amend North Carolina’s laws to include these three categories and I watched as it started at barely a hundred signatures one Sunday afternoon to well over six hundred before the day was over. As I’m writing this I’m happy to say that the petition now has 7,400 signatures. But what makes me proud to call myself an App student was the follow through on promises for action. Our campus’ LGBT organizations, Women’s Center, and Transgender Student club were there the entire time to help Sarabeth and Erin with even the most basic needs of food, transportation, and most importantly, company.

But it didn’t stop there. Awareness grew and soon the whole campus was rallying around these two women. On Friday, March 2, an awareness and fundraising event was held Erin and Sarabeth’s honor to help pay for medical costs as well as to encourage others to sign the petition; there wasn’t an empty seat to be found.

I couldn’t help but admire their courage for speaking and recalling this event so close to when it actually happened. And then there was the simple fact that all they wanted was to change state law so that no one else would suffer like they did. The event closed with a school a capella group’s absolutely goose bump inducing rendition of “One Day” by Matisyahu and it made me think about this blog entry and how I would close it. I was asked to talk about the LGBT Community’s efforts, but the beautiful thing was that this was simply a Community effort. What started as simply an LGBT issue became a people issue, and it was people who rallied around these two: unconditionally. As an ally who sometimes struggles to explain to his friends why he does the things he does, I find comfort and strength in this. Although what happened should never be celebrated, this gathering of unconditional love will ultimately win and is bringing that One Day closer.

If you would like to sign the petition, you can find it at: http://www.change.org/petitions/amend-nc-hate-crime-laws. Also, please consider making a donation to http://www.gofundme.com/showthelove to help pay for Erin and Sarabeth’s medical costs.

Throughout this new year, Campus Pride has been pleased to partner with director Christopher Hines in offering his new documentary, "Legalize Gay: The Civil Rights Movement of a Generation," to schools, colleges and universities, conferences and other community groups for special preview screenings before its national debut on the LGBT TV network Logo.

This month brings a bevy of new advance screenings across the U.S., including:

Today! March 8, 2012
Wichita State University, Wichita, Kan.
6 p.m., Room 223 Rhatigan Student Center
More details...

Saturday, March 24, 2012
Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C.
1:10 p.m., Roan Mountain Room, Plemmons Student Union
More details...

Friday, March 30, 2012
Northeast LGBT College Conference
Sage College, Troy, N.Y.
More info...

Friday, March 30, 2012
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Neb.
7 p.m., Prarie Pride Film Festival
More info...

Other upcoming screenings in April include University of Wisconsin-OshKosh (April 2), Lock Haven University in Lockhaven, Penn. (April 4), CSU Chico in Chico, Calif. (April 17) and North Dakota GLBTQA Conference in Grand Forks, N.D. (April 20)

Your campus can still book special screenings! Click here to learn more about the film, it's director, Christopher Hines, and how to book a screening.

Campus Pride & Time Out Youth present ‘Believe in Youth’ annual speaker series on April 7 with young adult marriage equality advocate Zach Wahls

2011 “Top Political Video” YouTube sensation and author of “My Two Moms” to speak in Charlotte, empower LGBT and ally young people to action and change

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Campus Pride and Time Out Youth have partnered to present their third annual “Believe in Youth Awareness Event” with national young adult leader and marriage equality advocate Zach Wahls. The event, free and open to the public, will be held on Saturday, April 7, 2012, at 5 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Auditorium at Knight Theatre at Levine Center for the Arts, 430 S. Tryon St.

Zach Wahls, 20, is known as “that kid from YouTube with two moms.” His passionate testimony before the Iowa General Assembly against a proposed anti-LGBT constitutional amendment was the number one YouTube “Political Video” of 2011. Today, Wahls continues his national advocacy by speaking in favor of marriage equality and comes to North Carolina one month prior to the statewide vote on the anti-LGBT constitutional amendment, Amendment One. His book, “My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family” (Gotham Books), is due to be released on April 26, 2012.

“Zach’s amazing conviction in standing up for the rights of his family has been an inspiration to LGBT young people, families and straight allies across this nation,” said Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer. “At a time when the national debate on marriage equality for same-sex couples continues to be used as a political football, Zach’s simple message of love, honor and commitment reminds each of us what a family is really about and acts to empower young people across the nation to stand up for what they believe is right and true.”

Time Out Youth Executive Director Rodney Tucker added, “Zach represents a new generation of Americans who willing to step up for their LGBT families, friends and peers. Developing strong allies like Zach is important to our mission. Zach is an excellent example of how our straight allies can represent the LGBT community and lead in the fight for equality.”

Campus Pride’s and Time Out Youth’s “Believe in Youth” has previously hosted national equality advocate Judy Shepard, mother of 1998 hate crime victim Matthew Shepard, and Mitchell Gold, a North Carolina furniture maker, national LGBT advocate and philanthropist.

The April 7 event is free and open to the public. Donations are encouraged; proceeds with benefit the Charlotte-based Campus Pride, the nation’s leading nonprofit for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and ally college student leaders, and Time Out Youth, Charlotte’s local support, advocacy and education organization for LGBT youth ages 13-23.

The following is a guest post by Samuel Brinton, Campus Pride's 2011 National Voice & Action Leadership Award recipient, on his experience at the launch of Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation on Feb. 29 at Harvard University. Samuel attended the event with another student leader and Campus Pride's executive director, Shane Windmeyer.

My Wednesday started like any other. I woke up smiling as I generally do but I did not know that my afternoon was about to be spent doing something much more exciting than nuclear engineering homework and instead I would be listening to the inspiring words of two powerful women: Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.

While checking my Facebook -- as I do much too often throughout the day -- I learned that Shane was in town and had an extra ticket to the launch of the Born This Way Foundation. I had been dreaming of going but those tickets were scarce. Soon I was running out the door…I had to change. I couldn’t let Mother Monster see me without heels on!

After changing into a beautiful pair of black buttoned high heel boots, a shimmery scarf, and my signature black and white fedora, I was sashaying toward Harvard as the snow began to fall. Needless to say I was floating on air! As we were seated I realized just how amazing this event was going to be. Filled with high school students, Harvard professors, and Massachusetts activists this room was simply buzzing with energy.

Following some opening remarks, Shane and I were overjoyed to hear from the amazing Oprah Winfrey. She spoke on the need of every individual to feel respected and belong. A cute anecdote she offered was that in the more than 35 years of interviewing people from around the world, it always seemed that they would end the interview by leaning over and whispering to her “Was that okay? Did I do it right?” – the room laughed when Ms. Winfrey said “even Beyonce, in all her Beyonce-ness” wanted to belong and that was why she wanted to be there in support of the Born This Way Foundation.

As Oprah introduced Lady Gaga the room burst into cheers of support. Styling a very gothic inspired long black dress, heels as tall as my head, and a headdress modeling spider webs, Mother Monster took the stage and graciously sat down for a chat while stating, “I can’t believe we got Oprah!”. She began by explaining why we were all here. Lady Gaga was excited to see all the conversation which took place after the release of the song Born This Way and wanted to keep those conversations alive. The Born This Way Foundation will work with organizations like Campus Pride to promote Safety, Skills, and Opportunity as three pillars to empowering students to stand up against bullying. Throughout the event Gaga stated that “This is not an anti-bullying foundation. This is about empowering students.”

A panel would follow the interview with Oprah as Lady Gaga was asked on specifics which this foundation would be using to combat the hatred which bullies have spread. A question on how cyber bullying could be addressed was raised from the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebilius. Lady Gaga spoke of future work to create a social media safe space but emphasized it will be the role of each and every student to make their community a safe space and stand up for those who are bullied.

Allyssa Rodemeyer, the sister of Jamie Rodemeyer who took his own life after being bullied, wanted to know how students could get involved. Lady Gaga responded by reminding her that “If we could just get one Alyssa in each school” to sense if something is going wrong then the Foundation will have succeeded. While citing the disaster of Columbine and the warning signs that teachers missed, Lady Gaga reminded those present that students need the empowerment to make the difference in their own schools.

While sauntering back home as the snow continued to fall I was so happy to know that Lady Gaga and Oprah have used their position of fame to let this generation know that we were Born This Way! This Little Monster is going to help spread that message and I hope you’ll do the same.