Professor Sue Rankin of Pennsylvania State University will speak on "Queer Voices on Campus: Results of a 2001 Campus Climate Study" Jan. 30 at the University of Colorado at Boulder at 7 p.m. in Eaton Humanities Building, room 1B50.
Rankin serves as the senior diversity planning analyst in the Office of the Provost for Educational Equity and coordinator of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equity. She will share the results of a recently completed Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer campus climate study with students, staff and faculty at 14 universities.
Rankin also will compare a recent CU-Boulder climate study with the national study and offer recommendations.
Rankin has collected information on the views of LGBTQ communities on the campuses and her research provides previously unknown data. She believes that the creation of knowledge can be impeded, influenced or defined by climate and associated levels of oppression and harassment.
"Climate has a significant impact on members of the academic community who, in turn, contribute to the creation of the campus environment," Rankin said in an interview with Elenore Snow, media coordinator for the CU-Boulder GLBT Resource Center.
"Preserving an environment free from discrimination should be one of the primary responsibilities of the academic institution," she said. "I believe people want to do the right thing, but do not know where to start."
Rankin has worked as a scholar, leader and teacher in higher education for more than 20 years. Her visit is sponsored by the GLBT Resource Center, the offices of the provost and vice chancellor for student affairs and the Department of Housing.
For more information on the center's services and programming call (303) 492-1377 or visit the Web site at .