Examining Institutional Support Structures and Campus Climate for LGB Students in Sectarian Higher Education

• In Event: Underexamined Student Experiences

Abstract

Using data from the multi-institutional Campus Religious and Spiritual Climate Survey, this study examined how campus support structures for the LGB community (e.g., a recognized LGBTQ student organization) influence student perceptions of the campus climate at sectarian colleges and universities. Further, it explored whether the effects of institutional supports on climate perceptions differ for LGB and heterosexual students. Findings suggest that campus support structures for the LGB community play a role in shaping students’ perceptions of campus climate at religiously-affiliated institutions. For one support structure in particular – educational programs/series – the effects on climate perceptions among LGB individuals are stronger than they are for heterosexual students. Practical implications of this research are discussed fully at the conclusion of the paper.

Authors

• Shauna Morin, North Carolina State University

• Rebecca Crandall, The Ohio State University

• Alyssa N. Rockenbach, North Carolina State University

• Antonio Alberto Duran, The Ohio State University

• Matthew J. Mayhew, The Ohio State University