The Advocate, the oldest continuing gay publication in the United States, recently included AU in its "Top 20 Best of the Best" of its "100 Best" in "The Advocate Guide for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Students."
In an e-mail to the entire AU community, Interim President Kerwin called the inclusion a "tribute to the staff and student leaders who currently work or previously have worked at AU's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Resource Center, as well as a tribute to our campus-wide efforts to create a welcoming campus environment for all."
According to the article, AU was the first university to include sexual orientation and gender identity in its campus non-discrimination policy, which can be found in the Student Handbook.
"I personally feel we definitely deserve to be in the top 20 - I would probably put us in the top five," said Ben Heisler, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs.
Heisler, the Web site coordinator for the GLBTA Resource Center, visited many different liberal campuses in his college search and felt that AU was the most open to GLBTA students.
"All four years of high school I was the only openly gay student," he said. "It had a huge impact in my college search."
The GLBTA Resource Center, located in Mary Graydon Center 201, provides support, educational resources and advocacy for AU's GLBT students, according to its Web site. They offer programs such as Safe Space stickers, which create a visible network of people trained in GLBT issues who can provide support to the campus community.
The Resource Center also brings in speakers through its Rainbow Speakers Bureau, sponsors the AU Queers and Allies student group and runs a Common Ground discussion group for students who want to talk about any concerns they may have.
The Resource Center also sponsors special events, such as the upcoming Sept. 12 table talk on safe sex.
In order to make prospective students aware of the opportunities AU offers, the Admissions Office runs Spectrum Project, which pairs GLBT high school seniors with current AU student "advisors."
Prospective students and their advisors exchange e-mails about life at AU and may take part in an overnight to get a feel for the campus.
"I'm glad that AU is a diverse place because it gives a whole lot of opportunities and it also makes it a safe place," said Nick Jonczak, a freshman in the School of International Service.
