Project Vision Survey Finds Campus Generally Positive

U of G's learning environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people is generally positive, according to a survey conducted by the University's Human Rights and Equity Office (HREO).

The survey polled 3,000 faculty, staff and students. Of the 3,000, eight per cent self-identified as LGBT. Of those LGBT respondents, almost 90 per cent indicated they had not had to interrupt their academic activities, nor had they ever been advantaged or disadvantaged in class or at work, because of their sexual orientation.

The survey was part of Project Vision: Toward a Campus Free From Harassment and Unfair Treatment Based on Sexual Orientation, initially launched in 1997 by the HREO. Project Vision's goals were to identify both the challenges and positive developments affecting the participation of LGBT people on campus, and to develop strategies that create a work, study and research environment that fosters mutual trust and respect. Detailed results of the survey are to be released to the campus community on the HREO Web site early in January.

Guided by an advisory group of students, staff, faculty and administration representing a broad cross-section of the University, the project randomly surveyed campus community members in March 1998.

The aim was to determine, among other things, the overall climate for LGBT people on campus, respondents' beliefs and attitudes toward LGBT people, and respondents' awareness of what U of G has done or could do to promote equity on the basis of sexual orientation.

"We are pleased to provide this report because we believe it will serve to further discussion about issues facing LGBT people in the campus community," says HREO director Patrick Case. "At U of G, we take pride in being a caring community, one that values diversity."

The study garnered a response rate of more than 25 per cent. In addition to the survey, the research involved focus groups between March and April 1998, which were followed up with individual interviews a year later, from January to March 1999.

More than three-quarters of LGBT respondents, when asked if they had encountered any obstacles in accessing campus services, said they had had positive experiences with U of G service providers. But although more than 90 per cent had never experienced employment barriers at U of G because of their sexual orientation, 44 per cent felt that being openly LGBT might negatively affect a person's chances of career advancement at the University.

The survey also found that:

• Of the LGBT people who had been verbally harassed on campus, about one-third had not reported it. They also felt uncomfortable expressing their sexuality publicly and perceived it might be difficult to find on-campus housing that would allow them to be open about their sexual orientation.
• Over half of the heterosexual respondents said they would be uncomfortable if they learned that their roommate or housemate was LGBT or about viewing public displays of affection by same-sex couples.

When asked what the University could do to make the environment more positive toward LGBT individuals, a number of ideas were generated by respondents, including:

• Offering more campus workshops and lectures about sexual and gender issues. The survey showed that the level of awareness among heterosexual respondents and the acceptance of LGBT people and issues were significantly higher for those who had attended such workshops and lectures.
• Providing personal and academic counsellors trained to deal with sexual and gender identity issues.
• Having LGBT people represented at all levels of the University and creating a safe and equitable environment where they can be open about their identity would be important next steps.
• Encouraging applications to external funding agencies and recog- nition both internally and externally for research on sexual orientation issues would increase incentives to conduct this type of work.

As for the next steps, Case said the survey results will be extremely helpful not only in addressing the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people on campus, but also in addressing the needs of all members of the University community when it comes to sexual orientation issues.

"Any gains made as a result of attention to the issues addressed in this report are gains made by the entire community," he says. "An important next step will be to ensure that what we have learned through the survey will permeate our work across all areas. To that end, in the coming months, it will be important for all members of the University community to read the report and consider any possible implications for their areas of responsibility."

Case adds that the survey "tells us how far we've come and provides a foundation on which to build. In fact, the process itself has already resulted in positive developments across the institution because it has raised awareness of this particular human rights and equity issue."