ASCCC has appointed C. Howerton to serve as ASCCC Liaison to to the LGBTQ+ Summit Advisory Committee (22-23, 23-24)
Fall 2023 Update: The RP group is working with the CCC Foundation to conduct a research project that will assess LGBTQ+ resources across our institutions. Project title: Elevating and Supporting LGBTQ+ Success in the CCC System. Draft Research Plan
Second resolve will be addressed by the RP group findings on this project. ASCCC Could help report out findings once completed.
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) embraces equity principles for all in its Values Statement, [1] which states, “The ASCCC empowers faculty from diverse backgrounds and experiences, promoting actions resulting in inclusion, diversity, equity, anti-racism, and accessibility through its publications, resources, activities, policies, and presentations” and “believes that collaboration with others and faculty engagement improve professional decisions made locally and at the state level”;
Whereas, The LGBTQIA+ community is currently being targeted by harmful legislation nationwide, with the American Civil Liberties Union tracking [2] a total of 460 anti-LGBTQ [IA+] bills in the United States this year, of which 218 are education-related;
Whereas, Existing research [3] demonstrates that one in three (33%) LGBTQIA+ college students seriously considered suicide in the past year and seven percent reported a suicide attempt in the past year, and although the rates of college students considering suicide were higher among LGBTQIA+ college students of color (35%), and “LGBTQ[IA+] college students with access to LGBTQ[IA+] student services through their college had 44% lower odds of attempting suicide in the past year compared to LGBTQ[IA+] college students without access,” demonstrating the potential positive impact of a college’s effort to intentionally support LGBTQIA+ students; and
Whereas, A 2016 study [4] on faculty supporting LGBTQIA+ college students found that “faculty serve an important function in supporting [LGBTQIA+ students] towards success” and that “faculty are in a position to assist LGBTQ[IA+] students in leaving the margins and seeking the center of the higher education experience”;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with system partners, such as the Student Senate for California Community Colleges and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, to survey local California community colleges regarding existing LGBTQIA+ resources or the lack thereof;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with system partners to collect and synthesize survey findings and conduct further or follow-up research to gain a better understanding of the needs of LGBTQIA+ students in the California community colleges; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges explore options to support local colleges in the development of LGBTQIA+ professional learning opportunities and also in the creation of LGBTQIA+ Student Centers at local colleges that focus on meeting unique educational and basic needs of LGBTQIA+ students in a safe and welcoming environment.
M/S/U
1. ASCCC Values Statement: https://www.asccc.org/about/values-statement.
2. American Civil Liberties Union has tracked and mapped Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures; research can be found at: https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights?impact=.
3. The Trevor Project Research Brief on Suicide Risk and Access to Care Among LGBTQ College Students: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/September-Research-Brief-September-Research-Brief.pdf.
4. Nguyen, D. et al. (2016). Faculty as Sources of Support for LGBTQ College Students.
College Teaching, 64(2), 55 – 63. Accessed at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/87567555.2015.1078275.