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The Consortium of Higher Education Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT)

Resource Professionals (herein referred to as the Consortium) is a national network of


higher education professionals committed to resource provision, support, education,
outreach, and advocacy on behalf of and with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
intersex, ally, and similarly identified campus communities. The Consortium represents
210 member institutions and 466 individual members across the United States and
Canada. As individuals and within our centers, we provide resources, education and
support for all students. We are student affairs professionals, faculty, and graduate
students who are committed to education about and advocacy for the diversity of all
sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions on college and university
campuses.

The Consortium learned about a provision to Texas House Bill 1 that would require all
state funded colleges and universities in Texas with gender and sexuality centers to
fund a "family and traditional values center[i]” at the same or higher level of funding.
Specifically the bill states, that any institution of higher education with a “gender and
sexuality center or other center for students focused on gay, lesbian, homosexual,
bisexual, pansexual, transsexual, transgender, gender questioning, or other gender
identity issues” must provide no less than equal funding for a center “advocating
heterosexual, traditional values.”

As an organization we are extremely concerned by the precedent this sets for state
legislatures to impede upon the rights of colleges and universities to provide education
and services to their campuses as they deem appropriate. Legislating by an “if/then
approach” to education severely limits the academic freedom of colleges and
universities. As professionals committed to the values of academic freedom and support
for all students, the Consortium is concerned that this and other such legislation creates
a slippery slope for the curtailment of ongoing efforts in higher education to provide
access to our nation’s universities for historically marginalized students. Furthermore,
legislation such as this prevents colleges and universities from responding appropriately
to their historical, social, and structural campus climate issues in order to provide a
comprehensive education for all students.

We assert that a welcoming and supportive campus climate is imperative to a student’s


ability to succeed in higher education. A recently released study of campus climate for
LGBT students demonstrates that LGBT students are less likely to persist and graduate
than heterosexual students (Rankin et. al., 2010). In addition, LGBT students are more
likely to experience harassment and as a result engage in unhealthy behaviors (Rankin
et. al., 2010; Weber, 2008) or attempt suicide (Haas, et. al., 2011). We know that where
sexual orientation intersects other marginalized identities, college students have an
increasingly difficult time learning within a university setting. LGBT students of color
report significantly greater fear of being physically assaulted due to their sexual or
gender identity than white LGBT students (Rankin et. al., 2010). Mandates for “family
and traditional values center(s),” such as those proposed in the Texas Legislature, will
adversely affect the campus climate for LGBT students in the State of Texas by
potentially removing funding from programs that serve those students.

Consortium professionals are an integral part of the educational mission of colleges and
universities and provide support, education, and resources to students, staff, faculty,
and institutional administrators regarding diversity in sexuality and gender. As the
largest organization of this type, the Consortium is committed to ongoing member
education; outreach and advocacy for all persons working within the higher educational
environment; and a vision of total access to higher education for all qualified students.
Social justice is at the core of our work and we remain steadfast in our approach to
education, resources, and support for all students who wish to take part in our
programs.

We reach out to you today to express our concerns of this type of legislation and offer
our support as a professional organization that provides education, outreach and
support to both institutions of higher education and higher education professionals. The
Consortium stands ready to provide our expertise, knowledge, and experience on the
importance of and strategies for providing education and services that maximize
success, retention, and matriculation of students of all sexual orientations, gender
identities, and gender expressions. Please do not hesitate to reach us at
chair@lgbtcampus.org and chair-elect@lgbtcampus.org or visit our website,
www.lgbtcampus.org
[i][i] Link to Texas HB 1:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB1

Sec. 56. Funding of Student Centers for Family and Traditional Values. It is the intent of
the Legislature that an institution of higher education shall use an amount of appropriated
funds to support a family and traditional values center for students of the institution that is not
less than any amount of appropriated funds used by the institution to support a gender and
sexuality center or other center for students focused on gay, lesbian, homosexual, bisexual,
or pansexual, transsexual, transgender, gender questioning, or other gender identity issues.

Rankin, S., Blumenfeld, W. J., Weber, G. N., & Frazer S. J. (2010). State of Higher Education
for LGBT People: Campus Pride 2010 National College Climate Survey. Charlotte: Campus
Pride.

Haas, Ann P.; Eliason, Mickey; Mays, Vickie M.; Mathy, Robin M.; Cochran, Susan D.;
D'Augelli, Anthony R.; Silverman, Morton M.; Fisher, Prudence W.; Hughes, Tonda; Rosario,
Margaret; Russell, Stephen T.; Malley, Effie; Reed, Jerry; Litts, David A.; Haller, Ellen; Sell,
Randall L.; Remafedi, Gary; Bradford, Judith; Beautrais, Annette L.; Brown, Gregory K.
(2011). Suicide and Suicide Risk in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Populations:
Review and Recommendations. Journal of Homosexuality, 58(1), 10-51.

Weber, Genevieve N. (2008). Using to numb the pain. Journal of Mental Health Counseling,
30(1), 31-48.

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