Advising Diverse Graduate Student Populations: The GLBT Graduate Student. (the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) (2002)

Abstract This article explores faculty advising techniques for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered (GLBT) graduate students. An inductive review of literature reveals identity development issues unique to this population. Implications are explored for practitioners and faculty advisors indicating strategies, which affect GLBT graduate students. ********** graduate classroom is constantly changing including instruction techniques, use of technology, and classroom participants. Among many changes are graduate students and their demographics. Most literature concerning advising graduate students is directed toward larger heterosexual population, but this may not meet needs of minority graduate students, especially those of a different sexual orientation. Little research exists for advising Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered (GLBT) graduate students, which places this minority group at a disadvantage when attempting to secure diagnosed academic advising. Advising techniques need to be constantly improved to meet needs of all graduate student populations. This article focuses on sharing trends of GLBT graduate student population, identifying needs of GLBT graduate students, and highlighting successful advising techniques. GLBT Population To best understand issues of GLBT graduate students, it is necessary to identify this population and wends in graduate education. According to sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, one in every ten people is gay (Kinsey, Pomeroy, and Martin, 1948). While no statistics are available on GLBT graduate student population, by applying Kinsey's widely accepted research, this group exists in significant numbers to warrant research and consideration when analyzing methods of graduate student advising. Because there is research indicating that identity development is different in GLBT students than majority population, advising techniques and support systems need tailoring to this population (Marinoble, 1998). Minority populations, including GLBT, are subject to and have higher stress levels in society (Deloria, 1969; Smith, 1985, LaMar & Kite, 1998). increase levels of stress are compounded with the fact that many minorities are reluctant to initially self-disclose can place them in a situation where they are judged to be ... `paranoid' (Sue and Sue, 1990, p. 10). Greater awareness of GLBT identity development, which is different from traditional college student identity development process, can increase GLBT graduate student confidence in advisers (Ferren & Geller, 1993). In particular, advising is a challenge whenever a population has increased levels of anxiety and stress, which may impact learning and classroom performance. The coming out process and career exploration both involve various stages, none of which follow a specific time table for duration or age appropriateness (Hetherington & Orzek, 1989). Faculty advisors can benefit from an increased knowledge of student populations they advise, while increasing their abilities to relate and provide appropriate advising to these populations. While current research suggests that developmental process is different for gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals (Evans, Forney, and Guido-DiBrito, 1998, p. 105), there are several identity development models to choose from literature (Cass, 1979; D'Augelli, 1994). D'Augelli's (1994) Model of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Development describes six interactive processes identified in identity formulation. first stage, exiting Heterosexual Identity, focuses on recognizing one's feelings. State two, developing a personal lesbian/gay/bisexual identity status builds upon first stage by challenging personal myths. Developing a lesbian/gay/bisexual social identify, third stage, is creating a support network. …