Current literature underscores the need to address unwelcoming campus climates for LGBQ+ students both in and outside of the classroom by taking a critical look at the practices adopted at the institution. Using a large-scale, multi-institution quantitative and qualitative data set, NSSE researchers presented a study at the 2019 Association for the Study of Higher Education that examined student perceptions of the inclusion of LGBQ+ issues in curricula and how this relates to other forms of engagement.
Quantitative questions examined how often LGBQ+ issues are discussed in courses, how much students' institutions have contributed to their understanding of LGBQ+ issues, how comfortable they would be bringing up LGBQ+ issues in course discussions, and how often they have discussions about LGBQ+ issues or with LGBQ+ people outside of class. To give context to these quantitative analyses, open-ended responses to students' "reflections or experiences regarding LGBQ+ issues" at their institution were also presented.
This study found differences in student perceptions by major and sexual orientation, and that relationships between engagement and LGBQ+ curricular inclusion are strong for LGBQ+ and non-LGBQ+ students. Quotes from students, such as the title of this post, highlight the disconnect felt between coursework and discussions of sexuality, as well as the great importance of creating inclusive spaces for the LGBQ+ community.
See more details about this presentation here and look a related official publication in the Journal for Diversity in Higher Educationsoon!