The Princeton Review published “The Best 391 Colleges, 2026,” on Aug. 12, naming Monmouth University 16th on the list of LGBTQ-unfriendly colleges.
The 98-question survey was answered by 170,000 students spanning across the 391 schools listed in the book. The survey covers topics including academics and administration, life at college, fellow students, and themselves.
The Princeton Review publishes both a LGBTQ-friendly and unfriendly list that are based on how strongly students agree or disagree with the statement, “Students treat all persons equally, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.”
Tyler Gillis, a junior anthropology major and Pride Club president, said, “Unfortunately, my initial reaction was that I was not very surprised. While the #16 ranking feels far too high on the list, there definitely is a problem here at Monmouth.”
Zaneta Rago-Craft, Ed.D, is the Director of the Intercultural Center and serves as the Advisor to the President for Diversity and Inclusion. She said, “It’s certainly disappointing, and not just professionally, but personally as a member of the community. While student feedback like this can feel disheartening, my hope is that our inclusion on the list also promotes a clearer and shared sense of urgency and responsibility to make tangible improvements.”
Gillis said, “I’ve been called a slur while walking on campus and I have had multiple people tell me they didn’t feel comfortable living in [on-]campus housing because of other students supporting certain politics and ideologies that say queer people should not exist.”
A Monmouth University student, who spoke under the conditions of anonymity, said, “…I have found myself in situations where I know the people in my classes likely judge or feel negative about my identity, and I have heard inappropriate things said in passing about being queer.”
This student shared that while it does make them feel uncomfortable they never once have felt their safety blatantly at risk for being queer.
“There are tons of safe spaces available for us in the community to gather on campus, like the intercultural center or the Pride Club. The university also hosts a pride night during the basketball season…Yes, Monmouth needs to do better, but I do think this rating is a bit of a stretch,” they added.
Rago-Craft said, “For students specifically, I think this ranking is an important reminder that the power to shape the campus environment belongs to all of us. This can mean not laughing at homophobic and transphobic jokes when they’re made by your friends, interrupting, or intervening if you witness someone experiencing bullying or harassment and becoming knowledgeable about the resources on campus – such as our bias reporting options- to help a friend or classmate to receive support after an incident.”
To report a Bias Incident or Crime, students can visit the Intercultural Center website, go to student resources, and select the “Report an Act of Bias” tab.
Brendan Sheehan, Student Government Association (SGA) President, said, “According to the Monmouth University 2024 Campus Climate Survey, 16.1% of students identify as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Our goal as a student government is to make everyone feel welcome no matter their background or identity. We urge all students to make their voices heard by addressing any issues they’re experiencing or have experienced to the SGA during the public contributions portion of every weekly meeting. The SGA is committed to creating a campus community that is supportive of all voices, so we want to hear from students themselves to address their concerns and advocate for them.”
He continued, “We encourage all students to utilize the services provided by the Intercultural Center and our Counseling & Prevention Services (CPS), which both provide a safe space for everyone to voice their feelings and concerns. I do question the metrics used by The Princeton Review for the ranking, as student feedback provided to the publication is overwhelmingly positive and focused on the diversity, positivity and feeling of community found at Monmouth.”
“The Intercultural Center can continue to cultivate spaces where LGBTQIA+ students feel safe, affirmed, and celebrated,” said Rago-Craft. “This means offering more programming that amplifies LGBTQIA+ voices, training more employees around LGBTQIA+ cultural competency, continuing to critically examine policies and structures that may be creating barriers to the community, and working across campus in strategic partnerships to help ensure students feel they have a community on campus where they are fully welcomed.”
Rago-Craft concluded, “My hope [is] that our inclusion on this list inspires each of us to reflect on what we can do both as individuals, and as a community. I hope to see a cultural shift toward greater allyship, visibility, and accountability across the university.”
Gillis and other members of the Pride Club will meet with President Leahy on Oct. 6.
