Group pulls UMD's gay-friendly status over coach's firing

A national group is dropping the University of Minnesota-Duluth from its listing of top rated gay-friendly colleges following the school's controversial firing of its long-time women's hockey coach.

UMD has made the Campus Pride list each of the past two years. The organization ranks schools based on how inclusive their policies, programs and practices are for LGBT students.

But this week, Campus Pride announced it was suspending UMD from consideration for inclusion in this year's ranking following the university's decision in December not to renew Shannon Miller's contract at the end of the season, as well as the contracts of her three assistants.

Miller is one of the most highly decorated women's college hockey coaches in the country. She's led the university to five national titles in 15 years — the most of any coach. This season the Bulldogs are ranked ninth nationally.

Miller is openly gay, and her three assistant coaches are also gay or bisexual, said Angie Nichols, founding director of UMD's GLBT Services Office.

Her firing has sparked accusations of discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation, and fueled a national discussion of equity in college sports. Miller has hired an attorney specializing in Title IX, the landmark federal law prohibiting discrimination at university programs that receive federal funding.

The university cited budget concerns when it announced its decision not to bring Miller back. Her base salary of $207,000 is the highest in women's college hockey. UMD is struggling to cut a $6 million recurring budget deficit.

"The UMD Athletic Director's handling of this matter is cause for grave concern," Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer said in a statement. "LGBTQ safety is shaped by incidents like this and if they are handled openly and transparently by administrators."

Windmeyer added that UMD is the first campus to be suspended from consideration for the Campus Pride annual listing of top-rated LGBT-friendly schools.

In a statement responding to the announcement, University of Minnesota Duluth officials said they "are deeply disappointed with Campus Pride's decision."

UMD employs a full-time LGBT director, and has an active Queer and Allied Student Union. It also is launching a GLBT Studies minor, and is finalizing a proposal to become one of the first college campuses in Minnesota to create gender inclusive housing beginning next fall.

Angie Nichols, UMD's director of GLBT Services, acknowledges the university has made great strides in improving the campus climate since she opened the office in 2000. She calls Campus Pride's decision "a huge loss."

"It's affecting us on a national level, our reputation," she said.

UMD has had success recruiting GLBT students, especially from the Twin Cities campus, Nichols added. Now she fears that will change. "It makes it very hard for me to recruit perspective LGBT students who were thinking or would think of coming here," she said.

The university in its statement said it takes very seriously the concerns raised by Campus Pride. Officials said they're hiring a nationally known consultant to help conduct a "thorough and unbiased assessment of our campus climate."

Miller said she believes Campus Pride made the appropriate move. "Although it's another damaging situation for UMD," she said, "it may be necessary to create positive change."