California's public university and college systems are reportedly figuring out how to ask students about their sexual orientation, and one local private university's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender group supports the idea amid possible privacy concerns for potential students.
Vincent Vigio, director of the LGBT Resource Center at the University of Southern California, believes the move would be mostly positive.
"I think that’s something that the resource center would approve of," Vigio said. "It gives numbers to an invisible population."
The move comes in response to a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last year.
The law recommended, not required, the state's three higher education systems to consider asking their students in an effort to learn whether those students are receiving enough services, such as counseling.
The University of California system has approved the posing of the question to students during enrollment, while the California State University system is in earlier stages of the discussion.
Being a private university, USC is not subject to the specific law, nor does it currently ask their applicants and prospective students about their sexuality.
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However, Vigio thinks the school may eventually add the question.
"Whether USC would do it, we want to see what peers are doing to see the positives or negatives," Vigio said. "But it won't give you the entire number that identifies themselves as gay, lesbian or bi."
Some students discover their own sexuality after they begin college, he added.
Vigio also pointed out that some students might be concerned about the question due to fears that the university may out them because of their sexuality.
College essay questions asking prospective students to discuss an impactful life moment can be used as an example, he added.
"Can I come out in my essay?" Vigio said. "Will the institution want to take them?"
"Regardless of whether you're coming out, the main point is that it really means something to you," he added.
Local public universities and colleges were closed Friday in honor of Cesar Chavez Day, but a couple of University of California, Riverside students believe the question would not affect the way the school's accept potential students.
"If you're gay, straight or bi, you're that," said Jacob Moore, UCR student. "You can join clubs. Friends here really don't judge you."
"For me, there's no trouble for that and for other minority people," said Sarah Ho, also a UCR student. "I respect them for that. I think it's good for them."
One other privacy concern would be for prospective students who have yet to come out to their parents, who might overlook college applications.
The question would likely be optional for applicants.
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