Central Illinois universities – including Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University – received average to poor grades on a web-based assessment conducted by the Pre-Professional Preparation Project of the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance.

The project conducted the assessment by looking at the universities’ web sites to determine their LGBTQ content. Although website data do not show the day-to-day activities of college campuses, the researchers assert that web sites are frequently the information that is most readily available to prospective students, particularly queer students who may be reluctant to talk about LGBTQ issues with college counselors or university officials. In short, they say, online searches offer students an anonymous way to assess whether or not a campus is a comfortable place for queer and questioning young people, has an established “out” queer community, and prepares future teachers to engage with queer students and families in their classrooms and curricula.

Universities’ web sites were judged on university policies, student rights and responsibilities, campus life, presence of anti-lgbt content, and LGBTQ inclusion in teacher preparation.

Locally, Illinois State University received a grade of “C,” while Illinois Wesleyan University earned an “F.” Other area schools including Bradley University and Eureka College also received “F” scores. The University of Illinois at Urbana received a grade of “C.”

Statewide, 41 of the 57 schools examined earned an “F.” The University of Illinois at Chicago was the only school to receive an “A.”

For more information about the web-based assessment go to www.illinoissafeschools.org/.