1. Peggy Dixon, Laura Welch, and Travis White A POPULATION IN NEED: THE CREATION OF A LGBTQ RESOURCE CENTER ON MISSOURI STATE’S CAMPUS

2.  U.S. Census estimates there could be as many as 6 million people who identify as gay or lesbian (Schaller, 2011)  Around 3% of adult population  Many members of this population can be found on college and university campuses  With more students identifying with the LGBTQ community, institutions need to adapt THE LGBTQ POPULATION

3.  The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students (Lipka, 2006)  100 top campuses for the LGBT community  Institutions are chosen based on a point system with 20 different items  Higher scores = more gay-friendly  LGBT students are a fairly large student pool from which to recruit LITERATURE REVIEW

4.  Ronnie Sanlo (LGBT centers today: A snapshot, 2006)  Founder of the National Consortium of LGBT Campus Resource Center Directors  Institutions must provide adequate resources for LGBT students  Goals of the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals (About us, 2011)  Colleague support  Inclusion of LGBT issues in curriculum  Improvement of campus climates  Work toward policy changes  Develop programming  Establish more LGBT centers LITERATURE REVIEW

5.  University of Missouri – Columbia (LGBTQ Resource Center: University of Missouri, 2011)  LGBTQ (Q = questioning or queer) Resource Center  Resources provided include  LGBTQ resource library  Campus events that spread awareness about LGBTQ topics  shOUT Magazine  Group meetings and discussion  Safe haven for LGBTQ students and allies LITERATURE REVIEW

6.  Cass’s Model of Sexual Orientation Identity Formation (Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, and Renn, 2010)  Six stages and one prestage  Range from first discovering identity to integration of sexual identity into the whole self THEORY

7.  Stage progression brings students to varying levels or comfort and different groups who they choose to be open with  The center will provide resources (student groups) for the different levels of identity development and awareness THEORY RATIONALE - CASS

8.  Fassinger’s Model of Gay and Lesbian Identity Development (Evans et al., 2010)  Four different stages in two separate processes  Range from awareness to internalization  Person can be in two completely different stages in each of the processes, and development in one process can influence the other THEORY

9.  Individual sexual identity  Through one-on-one counseling sessions and topic resources, the LGBTQ Resource Center can aid students in their journey through the varying stages. As students enter the exploration and deepening phases, their support systems are important and critical to a healthy development.  Group membership identity  As students develop their LGBTQ identity, the groups with which they are associated are important and may change throughout the phases. The LGBTQ Resource Center will include various student groups and an overall support community with whom the student can identify and share his or her experiences. THEORY RATIONALE - FASSINGER

10.  D’Augelli’s Model of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) Development (Evans et al., 2010)  Identity is formed across the life span in different, non-chronological stages  Individual can make choices and has control over his or her development of sexual identity  Three different interacting variables  Views and actions relating to sexual identity  Influences and opinions of significant others  Society’s view within the time period THEORY

11.  D’Augelli’s theory focuses on the outside variables that impact one’s journey through the LGB identity development processes. The LGBTQ Resource Center will impact a student’s development by providing a social network for students (process 3). The center will also be a safe place for all levels of political activism students may wish to express relating to LGBTQ issues (process 6). THEORY RATIONALE - D’AUGELLI

12.  The LGBTQ center will provide resources, support, mentors, and an overall environment that is safe and comfortable. As students progress through the stages of LGBTQ identity development, they will need varying levels of support and resources that match where they are in the process. OVERALL RATIONALE

13.  Educate the university community about LGBTQ inclusive practices, language, and programs  Create an open and inclusive community environment on campus  Serve as a resource for all students who need guidance or knowledge about LGBTQ issues and development RESOURCE CENTER GOALS

14. LGBTQ Resource Center  Director  Serves on committees, sets vision  Two Program Coordinators  Advise student groups, coordinate programs  Administrative Assistant  Coordinated through the office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion INTERVENTION

15.  Orientation for first year LGBTQ students and allies  Mid-semester evaluation of student transition and success  Educational awareness for the general student population  Support groups for different levels of LGBTQ identity development  Training workshops for faculty, staff, and student leaders INTERVENTION & PROGRAMS

16.  Safe Zone/Ally training  Educational campaign for inclusive language  Services for parents  Outreach to high school students about resources on campus for LGBTQ students INTERVENTION & PROGRAMS CONTINUED

17.  Missouri State’s location in the Bible belt may play a part in the center’s success  We will rely on students to be open-minded, which will not always be the case  Some students may be in Cass’s Identity Confusion Stage  We plan to offer classes that frame LGBTQ issues in a positive religious perspective  We do not consider sharing resources with campus professionals to be an issue  Many have already been exposed to the importance of healthy identity development in the LGBTQ community  Professional development opportunities, like the SafeZone training we intend to provide, will reflect positively in future job searches DEVELOPMENTAL CONTEXT

18.  Plan to target all students, but in different ways  Student Leaders will be offered the opportunity to go through training, such as SafeZone  Resident Assistants will be required to do training  Students will also be targeted by having more informed and more highly trained professors and Student Affairs Professionals to talk to about the issues they face  We will also offer resources for parents to help facilitate student’s abilities to communicate with their parents about issues they may be facing TARGET AUDIENCE

19.  Survey all students and professionals that go through our training programs before, during, and after in a system of progressive analysis  Review secondary research that is conducted at other universities  Anonymous suggestion box EVALUATION PLAN

20.  About us. (2011). Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.lgbtcampus.org/about/  Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2 nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.  LGBT centers today: A snapshot. (2006). Student Affairs Leader, 34(6), 2-2. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=fbe28fc2- 0af0-4a29-95f0-b01f25e5b1d2%40sessionmgr110&vid=2&hid=127  LGBTQ Resource Center: University of Missouri. (2011). Retrieved from http://lgbtq.missouri.edu/?p=321  Lipka, S. (2006, September 29). “Advocate” guide profiles 100 best colleges for gay students. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Advocate-Guide-Profiles-100/11618/  Schaller, S. (2011). Information needs of LGBTQ college students. Libri: International Journal of Libraries & Information Services, 61(2), 100- 115. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=b5bc20f8-fb3b-461f-a1c8- 95f3569d733a%40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZW hvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=61406991 REFERENCES