LGBT
Related: About this forumStudents in California may be asked to declare sexuality when enrolling
Students in California may be asked to declare sexuality when enrolling
Prospective students at the University of California and California State University campuses may be asked to volunteer information when applying or enrolling next year on whether they are LGBT.
This partially arises from an obscure state law aimed at discerning whether students at said institutions are getting enough services, including counselling. But, according to The Los Angeles Times, there are concerns about privacy.
Since 2006, the University of California (UC) has asked about students sexual orientation in an annual informal poll about campus life but without using student names.
The shift comes in response to a law signed by Governor Jerry Brown last autumn which called for educational institutions to adopt policies discouraging bullying of LGBT students. The law also asks but does not require state campuses to allow students to state their sexual orientation.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/03/30/students-in-california-may-be-asked-to-declare-sexuality-when-enrolling/
Fearless
(18,421 posts)tjwmason
(14,819 posts)This follows from the recent Equalities Act which requires public bodies (including universities) to promote equality between eight 'protected characteristics' (sexual orientation being one); as any analysis of the composition of student bodies has been based on guesswork so far, gathering the data provides for better and clearer analysis to identify any problems.
I see three potential issues with it - first is the right to decline to answer (this has long been the case when asked about race); second is the potential to change this, a significant number of people come-out whilst at university; third is privacy, data protection law is very strict over here but attention needs to be paid to the manner in which the data are gathered as enrolment paperwork is often completed by a new cohort in a room together which much peering over shoulders.
pinto
(106,886 posts)I could see the goals of the law - adopt policies discouraging bullying of LGBT students, access to counseling - being met without the prior name-based disclosure. Disclosure appears to be more about stats...
La Lioness Priyanka
(53,866 posts)people declare their race on college enrollment forms. I think this is a good idea so long as its voluntary