Peggy Dixon, Laura Welch, and Travis White

A POPULATION IN NEED: THE CREATION OF A LGBTQ RESOURCE CENTER ON

MISSOURI STATE’S CAMPUS

U.S. Census estimates there could be as many as 6 million people who identify as gay or lesbian (Schaller, 2011) Around 3% of adult population

Many members of this population can be found on college and university campuses

With more students identifying with the LGBTQ community, institutions need to adapt

THE LGBTQ POPULATION

The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students (Lipka, 2006) 100 top campuses for

the LGBT community Institutions are chosen

based on a point system with 20 different items

Higher scores = more gay-friendly

LGBT students are a fairly large student pool from which to recruit

LITERATURE REVIEW

Ronnie Sanlo (LGBT centers today: A snapshot, 2006) Founder of the National Consortium of LGBT Campus

Resource Center Directors Institutions must provide adequate resources for LGBT

studentsGoals of the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT

Resource Professionals (About us, 2011) Colleague support Inclusion of LGBT issues in curriculum Improvement of campus climates Work toward policy changes Develop programming Establish more LGBT centers

LITERATURE REVIEW

University of Missouri – Columbia (LGBTQ Resource Center: University of Missouri, 2011) LGBTQ (Q = questioning or queer) Resource Center Resources provided include

LGBTQ resource library Campus events that spread awareness about LGBTQ topics shOUT Magazine Group meetings and discussion Safe haven for LGBTQ students and allies

LITERATURE REVIEW

Cass’s Model of Sexual Orientation Identity Formation (Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, and Renn, 2010) Six stages and one prestage Range from first discovering identity to integration of

sexual identity into the whole self

THEORY

Stage progression brings students to varying levels or comfort and diff erent groups who they choose to be open with

The center will provide resources (student groups) for the diff erent levels of identity development and awareness

THEORY RATIONALE - CASS

Fassinger’s Model of Gay and Lesbian Identity Development (Evans et al., 2010) Four different stages in two separate processes Range from awareness to internalization Person can be in two completely different stages in each of

the processes, and development in one process can influence the other

THEORY

Individual sexual identity Through one-on-one counseling sessions and topic resources,

the LGBTQ Resource Center can aid students in their journey through the varying stages. As students enter the exploration and deepening phases, their support systems are important and critical to a healthy development.

Group membership identity As students develop their LGBTQ identity, the groups with which

they are associated are important and may change throughout the phases. The LGBTQ Resource Center will include various student groups and an overall support community with whom the student can identify and share his or her experiences.

THEORY RATIONALE - FASSINGER

D’Augelli’s Model of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) Development (Evans et al., 2010) Identity is formed across the life span in different, non-

chronological stages Individual can make choices and has control over his or her

development of sexual identity Three different interacting variables

Views and actions relating to sexual identity Influences and opinions of significant others Society’s view within the time period

THEORY

D’Augelli’s theory focuses on the outside variables that impact one’s journey through the LGB identity development processes. The LGBTQ Resource Center will impact a student’s development by providing a social network for students (process 3). The center will also be a safe place for all levels of political activism students may wish to express relating to LGBTQ issues (process 6).

THEORY RATIONALE - D’AUGELLI

The LGBTQ center will provide resources, support, mentors, and an overall environment that is safe and comfortable. As students progress through the stages of LGBTQ identity development, they will need varying levels of support and resources that match where they are in the process.

OVERALL RATIONALE

Educate the university community about LGBTQ inclusive practices, language, and programs

Create an open and inclusive community environment on campus

Serve as a resource for all students who need guidance or knowledge about LGBTQ issues and development

RESOURCE CENTER GOALS

LGBTQ Resource CenterDirector

Serves on committees, sets visionTwo Program Coordinators

Advise student groups, coordinate programsAdministrative AssistantCoordinated through the offi ce of the Vice President

for Diversity and Inclusion

INTERVENTION

Orientation for fi rst year LGBTQ students and alliesMid-semester evaluation of student transition and

successEducational awareness for the general student

populationSupport groups for diff erent levels of LGBTQ identity

developmentTraining workshops for faculty, staff , and student

leaders

INTERVENTION & PROGRAMS

Safe Zone/Ally training

Educational campaign for inclusive language

Services for parentsOutreach to high

school students about resources on campus for LGBTQ students

INTERVENTION & PROGRAMS CONTINUED

Missouri State’s location in the Bible belt may play a part in the center’s success

We will rely on students to be open-minded, which will not always be the case

Some students may be in Cass’s Identity Confusion StageWe plan to off er classes that frame LGBTQ issues in a

positive religious perspectiveWe do not consider sharing resources with campus

professionals to be an issueMany have already been exposed to the importance of

healthy identity development in the LGBTQ communityProfessional development opportunities, like the

SafeZone training we intend to provide, will refl ect positively in future job searches

DEVELOPMENTAL CONTEXT

Plan to target all students, but in diff erent waysStudent Leaders will be off ered the opportunity to go

through training, such as SafeZoneResident Assistants will be required to do trainingStudents will also be targeted by having more

informed and more highly trained professors and Student Aff airs Professionals to talk to about the issues they face

We will also off er resources for parents to help facilitate student’s abilities to communicate with their parents about issues they may be facing

TARGET AUDIENCE

Survey all students and professionals that go through our training programs before, during, and after in a system of progressive analysis

Review secondary research that is conducted at other universities

Anonymous suggestion box

EVALUATION PLAN

About us. (2011). Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals . Retrieved from http:/ /www.lgbtcampus.org/about/

Evans, N. J . , Forney, D. S. , Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in col lege: Theory, research, and practice (2n d

ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. LGBT centers today: A snapshot. (2006). Student Aff airs Leader, 34 (6), 2-2.

Retrieved from http:/ /web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=fbe28fc2-0af0-4a29-95f0-b01f25e5b1d2%40sessionmgr110&vid=2&hid=127

LGBTQ Resource Center: University of Missouri. (2011). Retrieved from http:/ / lgbtq.missouri.edu/?p=321

Lipka, S. (2006, September 29). “Advocate” guide profi les 100 best col leges for gay students. The Chronicle of Higher Education . Retrieved from http:/ /chronicle.com/article/Advocate-Guide-Profi les-100/11618/

Schaller, S. (2011). Information needs of LGBTQ col lege students. Libri : International Journal of Libraries & Information Services, 61 (2), 100-115. Retrieved from http:/ /web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detai l?

sid=b5bc20f8-fb3b-461f-a1c8- 95f3569d733a%40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZW hvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=61406991

REFERENCES