Another beginning

[Cole Parker]

While it's easy, if you've grown up during parlous times, to be leery about the possibilities that could lurk behind something like this, it sounds like there is much reason for hope here.

C

http://news.yahoo.com/college-first-u-ask-...-172003423.html

[Camy]

Parlous? I warned you about falling in lust with that cute thesaurus, Cole. What's wrong with perilous? Or was it meant to prod us to better our vocabularies? If so, it worked.

With reference to Elmhurst's application, I really don't see what sexual orientation has to do with applying to go to college. There's far too much personal information being weedled out of us as it is. I'd tick the box labeled MYOB.

[Merkin]

Midnight Dude?

[DKStories]

The answer as why to answer was in the article - it could make you eligible for financial aid covering up to 1/3 of tuition. It's good they are asking the question for that reason, and even better that they are not requiring an answer nor that the answer affects admissions eligibility. It's a plus-plus since there are so many colleges and universities that woudl kick you out if they find out you are gay.

[dude]

The Elmhurst school policy is commendable... but might not other fundamentalist religious institutions like Brigham Young University or others use the same ploy to determine and target LGBT students under a similar 'policy?'

[JamesSavik]

I'm all for letting institutions ask the question and long as none of your business is an answer that they will accept without sanction.

Small liberal arts schools are one thing but schools like BYU that are religious based or ROTC factories like in the southern states have honor codes that bar homosexuality out right.

If these schools are asking the question, they are doing it to discriminate.

[colinian]

When you fill out the dorm application at UC Berkeley there's a sexual orientation question.

Colin

[Cole Parker]

When you fill out the dorm application at UC Berkeley there's a sexual orientation question.

Colin

Wow, I didn't know that! That means they congretate the gays students? Or that they have dorms where the residents have stated they are tolerant? Both those seem unlikely. Why do they ask the question, and what do they do with the information?

C

[colinian]

Wow, I didn't know that! That means they congretate the gays students? Or that they have dorms where the residents have stated they are tolerant? Both those seem unlikely. Why do they ask the question, and what do they do with the information?

C

The sexual orientation questions are optional. UC Berkeley doesn't congregate gay students. The gay students can congregate if they want to do so (http://themeprograms.berkeley.edu/unity.html). Tolerance is a requirement for anyone who is going to live in a dorm at UC Berkeley. If you're not tolerant you should find an apartment. If you live in a dorm and you're written up for making abusive racial, religious, gender, or sexual orientation comments you'll be put on notice and if you have repeat offenses then you'll be subject to dismissal from the dorm. This doesn't happen very often.

Colin

[Merkin]

Tolerance is a requirement for anyone who is going to live in a dorm at UC Berkeley. If you're not tolerant you should find an apartment.

Colin

If you're not tolerant you should get a life.