Campus Pride names Penn one of the "Best of the Best" schools for LGBTQ inclusion

Campus Pride — a nonprofit organization advocating for LGBTQ college students — recognized Penn on its 2022 “Best of the Best” list.

The “Best of the Best” list this year features 40 four-year colleges — up from 30 last year — that achieved a five out of five on the Campus Pride Index, receiving an overall score of 93% or higher. 

The Campus Pride Index is a self-assessment tool designed to evaluate policies, programs, and practices that impact LGBTQ people and allies on campus. It currently benchmarks over 230 schools.

“We are seeing more and more colleges earn 5 stars because campuses are doing more to support their trans students,” Campus Pride’s Trans Policy Clearinghouse coordinator Genny Beemyn said in a press release.

To receive an index score, a university official must complete an assessment of over 50 questions that weighs eight categories: LGBTQ Policy Inclusion, Support & Institutional Commitment, Academic Life, Student Life, Housing & Residence Life, Campus Safety, Counseling & Health, and Recruitment & Retention Efforts. 

Penn received a five out of five in all of the categories except Support & Institutional Commitment, Academic Life, and Recruitment & Retention Efforts, where it scored 4.5, 4, and 4.5 respectively.

Penn is the only Ivy League institution on the list this year. 2022 marks the third year in a row for Penn to be named “Best of the Best.”

"We are honored to once again be recognized by Campus Pride for the work the LGBT Center does to support, encourage, and celebrate our LGBTQ+ graduate/professional student, undergraduate student, staff, faculty, and alum communities at Penn," Erin Cross, director of Penn’s LGBT Center, said in a press release. 

"Although there is always more to be done, we are grateful to take this moment to pause and reflect on our accomplishments to ensure Penn's LGBTQ+ folks truly belong."