CAS Member Spotlight: Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals

​In celebration of Pride Month, CAS is proud to spotlight the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals, a national community of higher education practitioners working to create more just and equitable campuses for LGBTQIA2S+ people. The Consortium supports professionals in gender and sexuality centers, faculty, staff, graduate students, and all individuals dedicated to building inclusive environments for queer and trans communities.

Founded to empower and connect educators and advocates, the Consortium leads efforts in education, collective action, and institutional change. Its mission, to support LGBTQ people in higher education through an intersectional and racial justice lens, aligns closely with CAS’s commitment to equity and student success. As a long-standing CAS member, the Consortium has played a key role in shaping and promoting the CAS Standards for LGBTQ+ Programs and Services.

These standards serve as a vital tool for colleges and universities seeking to assess and improve their services for LGBTQIA2S+ students. Whether used for strategic planning, program development, or self-study, the standards help practitioners advance equity and inclusion in meaningful and measurable ways. Members of the Consortium are encouraged to adopt these standards to enhance campus climate and ensure that support services reflect the needs of queer and trans students.

At the University of Michigan, Jesse Beal shared that a CAS self-study conducted in 2022 helped their center identify both strengths and areas for growth. The resulting action plan continues to guide the center's work today. Institutions such as Elon University have also used the CAS process to conduct in-depth assessments of LGBTQ+ programs, further demonstrating the standards’ value in advancing institutional commitment to inclusion.

For those looking to take meaningful action this Pride Month and beyond, we encourage you to explore and implement the following resources:

• CAS Standards for LGBTQ+ Programs and Services
• CAS LGBTQ+ Programs and Services Self-Assessment Guide (SAG)

The Consortium also emphasizes that membership is open to anyone, not just those in gender and sexuality centers. If you are committed to building a more equitable campus for LGBTQIA2S+ communities, you are welcome to join and contribute to the work.
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To learn more about the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals, visit https://www.lgbtcampus.org.