By Gary Barlow

Illinois colleges recruit GLBT students
Four Illinois colleges and universities were among almost 50 schools recruiting students April 11 at the Campus Pride College Admission Fair in San Diego.

The event was sponsored by Campus Pride to offer prospective college students an opportunity to talk with officials from colleges that actively recruit GLBT students.

“Even the nation’s top colleges realize that being LGBT-friendly is not only in the best interest of enrollment figures but also a necessity to prepare for a smaller, more diverse student population in the future,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride.

Columbia College Chicago, the Illinois Institute of Technology, Roosevelt University and the University of Illinois-Springfield recruited students at the fair.

Eight Illinois institutions of higher learning are ranked in Campus Pride’s GLBT-friendly rating system. Schools must answer a 55-question form to be ranked. The University of Illinois-Chicago ranks highest in the state, receiving five out of five possible stars from Campus Pride. Other Illinois schools, and their ratings, are Roosevelt, four stars; Northern Illinois University, four stars; Knox College, three and a half stars; the University of Illinois, three and a half stars; Northwestern University, three stars; Western Illinois University, three stars; and Bradley University, one and a half stars.

The complete ratings are at campusclimateindex.org.

Researcher seeks bi women
A researcher at Chicago’s Adler School of Professional Psychology is conducting a potentially groundbreaking study of bisexual women’s health and experiences of stigma and discrimination.

Wendy Bostwick, director of community engagement at Adler, said last week that she started the study while doing post-doctoral work at the University of Michigan. She said bisexual women often face discrimination from both the straight and gay and lesbian communities.

“I think that constantly being told that you’re ‘confused’ or that your identity isn’t genuine can really take a toll on bisexual women,” Bostwick said.

Bostwick is recruiting women for the study. Women who participate must be age 25 or older, self-identify as bisexual, reside in the Chicago area and speak English. Involvement takes 20 to 90 minutes. For more information call (312) 201-1851 or email biwomenstudy@gmail.com.

UIC prof gets $350,000 prize
A researcher at the University of Illinois-Chicago received a $350,000 prize April 14 for his work on GLBT youth and the Internet.

The William T. Grant Foundation gave the prize to UIC professor of psychiatry Brian Mustanski to continue work on his study, “The Internet as a Setting for Sexual Health Development among Gay Youth.”

Mustanski, along with the three other new William T. Grant Scholars, “is now part of a new generation of leaders whose work is advancing our understanding of youth development,” Grant Foundation officials said.

Mustanski has been a pioneer in research involving gays and the Internet. He recently received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop an online HIV prevention program for young gay men.

Harris passes youth bills
The Illinois House passed a bill April 10 that would create an Illinois Commission on Children and Youth aimed at improving health care, education and wellness among Illinois’ children.

The bill was authored by openly gay state Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago).

“Too often we hear stories about children with little or no options in their lives,” Harris said. “We need to change that and give them a chance to succeed.”

The bill would create a 30-member commission, made up of nominees from the General Assembly, the governor and childcare advocates. The commission would develop plans for state departments, coordinate resources and integrate services with private providers and families.

Harris also recently passed a measure increasing state funding—to $7 million—for shelter, transitional housing and employment assistance for Illinois’ estimated 25,000 homeless youths.

Both bills have been sent to the Senate for action there.