Mills College is committed to creating a safe, equitable environment where all members of our community—whether lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, genderqueer, two-spirit, transgender, cisgender, or straight—are openly included and affirmed. We honor freedom of expression and respectful discourse as fundamental educational cornerstones. Mills was the first women’s college in the US to enact a formal admission policy for transgender students, expanding the College’s historical mission to educate and empower people marginalized by structures of gender. We embrace diversity and social justice at Mills as key components of academic, cocurricular, and residential life, and strive to provide a vibrant learning community where critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration are enhanced through the interactions of our faculty and student body, who are diverse in every way. Located in Oakland, California—the heart of the progressive San Francisco Bay Area—Mills is an independent liberal arts and sciences college for undergraduate women with graduate programs for women and men. Ranked among the top colleges in the West by U.S. News and World Report and one of the best colleges in the nation by The Princeton Review, Mills has a proud tradition of encouraging students to stand up for their ideals to make a positive impact in the world around them.
Colleges & Universities
The Campus Pride Index is an overall indicator of institutional commitment to LGBTQ-inclusive policy, program and practice. How is this calculated?
| Region: West | |
| City/State: Oakland, CA | |
| Locale: Large Urban City (Over 500,000+) | |
| Student Population (FTE): 1,122 | |
| In-State Tuition: $30,877.00 | |
| Out-of-State Tuition: $44,322.00 | |
| Institution Website: http://www.mills.edu |
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Institution Type: |
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| Doctoral/Research University Master's College/University Baccalaureate College/University Private Institution Liberal Arts College Residential Campus Hispanic Serving Institution Single Sex |
LGBTQ Student Opportunities
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Colleges and universities want LGBTQ students, faculty and staff to be out and proud as part of the diversity of the campus community. The Campus Pride Index provides campuses the opportunity to come out as LGBTQ-friendly and take responsibility for continually improving their LGBTQ campus climate.
The Campus Pride Index features LGBTQ student opportunities by highlighting the positive work within higher education across the country. Prospective students and families may choose the best LGBTQ campuses searching the tool based on area of study, cost, location, type of campus and LGBTQ-inclusive policy, programs and practice for their college search.
Reminder: Learn more by signing-up for FREE to participate in Campus Pride's LGBTQ-friendly National College Fair Program in eight different cities and the Campus Pride National Online College Fair.
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Commitment to LGBTQ Issues
Our Synopsis
In Living Queer A safe space for queer and questioning people of color (QPoC) at Mills, the goal of In Living Queer is to create a place to address the intersections of QPoC identities and to provide support and resources. Mouthing Off! Mouthing Off! provides a safe space for students who are LGBTQ identified, straight allies, or none of the above to come together and facilitate dialogue and action around the LGBTQ community. Gender Splendor Club Gender Splendor is dedicated to creating space for diverse gender identities on our campus. People of all gender identities (including cisgender allies) are welcome to participate in meetings and events. Mills Graduate Queer Student Association The association aims to celebrate the spirit of LGBQT through awareness-building events and professional networking opportunities designed for LGBTQ graduate students at Mills. Mills Bridge Advocate Team The team is comprised of faculty and staff who work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, questioning, two-spirit, pansexual, asexual, and genderfluid students to help them successfully navigate the higher education system and Mills and advocate for themselves. Gender and Sexuality Resources Virtual Space This online space enables Mills students, alumnae/i, staff, and faculty to easily locate resources and information related to gender and sexuality.
Featured Quotes
Why you'll love Mills College
“Every day that I go to Mills I think, ‘This is where I should be. This is where I belong.’”
— –Mia, trans-identified student, Class of 2016
“Mills has been a space where I can concentrate and focus on other things because [fear is] not an issue.”
— –Sonj, genderqueer-identified student, Class of 2015
“Mills is an amazing place to find out who you are and to be in a community that accepts you for who you are.”
— –Katie, Class of 2012
“Everyone is learning from each other. The diversity of Mills lends itself to that. There’s a sense that we can all do better by working together.”
— –Priya Kandaswamy, associate professor of women’s, gender and sexuality studies
It’s exactly the place you are supposed to be; be yourself, be as out or queer or genderful as makes sense for you. Mills is the place where it all comes together and you can live honestly.
— –Chicora Martin, Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students
Highlights & Organizations
Admissions
Admissions Office
Mills College Admissions Office
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Mills College
5000 MacArthur Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94613
Phone: 510.430.2135
Website: www.mills.edu/undergrad
Admission Application Deadline:
Overall Campus Pride Index Score
The Campus Pride Index has a strong theoretical research foundation in LGBTQ current programs, practices and policies for safer, more inclusive campus learning environments. The index tool has been tested extensively since 2001 and recently updated with new, higher LGBTQ national benchmarks in 2015.
The Campus Pride Index is a vital tool for assisting campuses in learning ways to improve their LGBTQ campus life and ultimately shape the educational experience to be more inclusive, welcoming and respectful of LGBTQ and ally people. The index is owned and operated by Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit organization for student leaders and campus groups working to create safer, more LGBTQ-Friendly learning environments at colleges and universities. Campus Pride commends the campuses participating in the index and their willingness to come out, be visible and actively advocate for improving higher education for LGBTQ people.
Mills College
LGBTQ-friendly break-down by inclusion factors
| Sexual Orientation Score | 4 of 5 |
| Gender Identity/Expression Score | 4 of 5 |
| LGBTQ Policy Inclusion | 4.5 of 5 |
| LGBTQ Support & Institutional Commitment | 3.5 of 5 |
| LGBTQ Academic Life | 5 of 5 |
| LGBTQ Student Life | 4.5 of 5 |
| LGBTQ Housing & Residence Life | 4.5 of 5 |
| LGBTQ Campus Safety | 3.5 of 5 |
| LGBTQ Counseling & Health | 4 of 5 |
| LGBTQ Recruitment & Retention Efforts | 3.5 of 5 |
| Sections greyed out mean the campus does not offer those services | |
LGBTQ-Friendly Report Card
LGBTQ Policy Inclusion
| Non-discrimination statement inclusive of sexual orientation | |
| Non-discrimination statement inclusive of gender identity/expression | |
| Health insurance coverage to employees’ same sex partner | |
| Accessible, simple process for students to change their name on university records and documents | |
| Accessible, simple process for students to change their gender identity on university records and documents | |
| Students have option to self-identify sexual orientation on admission application or post enrollment forms | |
| Students have option to self-identify gender identity/expression on admission application or post enrollment forms |
LGBTQ Support & Institutional Commitment
| Resource center/office with responsibilities for LGBTQ students | |
| Paid staff with responsibilities for LGBTQ support services | |
| Ally program or Safe Space/Safe Zone | |
| Actively seek to employ diversity of faculty & staff including visible, out LGBTQ people | |
| Standing advisory committee that deals with LGBTQ issues | |
| LGBTQ alumni group |
LGBTQ Academic Life
| LGBTQ studies program | |
| LGBTQ specific course offerings | |
| Actively recruit faculty for LGBTQ-related academic scholarship | |
| New faculty/staff training opportunities on sexual orientation issues | |
| New faculty/staff training opportunities on gender identity issues | |
| LGBTQ faculty/staff organization |
LGBTQ Student Life
| LGBTQ & Ally student organization | |
| LGBTQ & Ally graduate student organization | |
| LGBTQ social fraternity/sorority | |
| Regularly plans LGBTQ social activities | |
| Regularly plans educational events on transgender issues | |
| Regularly offers educational events surrounding intersectionality of identities for LGBTQ people | |
| LGBTQ-inclusive career services |
LGBTQ Housing & Residence Life
| LGBTQ living space, theme floors and/or living-learning community | |
| Roommate matching for LGBTQ students to find LGBTQ-friendly roommate | |
| Gender-inclusive housing for new students | |
| Gender-inclusive housing for returning students | |
| Gender-inclusive/single occupancy restroom facilities in campus housing | |
| Gender-inclusive/single occupancy shower facilities in campus housing | |
| Trains residence life and housing staff at all levels on LGBTQ issues and concerns |
LGBTQ Campus Safety
| Procedure for reporting LGBTQ related bias incidents and hate crimes | |
| Active ongoing training for hate crime prevention | |
| Active outreach to LGBTQ students and student organization | |
| Trains campus police on sexual orientation issues | |
| Trains campus police on gender identity/expression issues | |
| Supports victims of LGBTQ sexual violence and partner violence |
LGBTQ Counseling & Health
| LGBTQ counseling/support groups | |
| Trans-inclusive trained counseling staff | |
| Free, anonymous and accessible HIV/STI testing | |
| LGBTQ-inclusive health information and safer sex materials available | |
| Trans-inclusive student health insurance policy which covers ongoing counseling services | |
| Trans-inclusive student health insurance policy which covers hormone replacement therapy |
LGBTQ Recruitment & Retention
| Annually participates in LGBTQ admission fairs | |
| LGBTQ student scholarships | |
| LGBTQ mentoring program to welcome and assist LGBTQ students in transitioning to academic and college life | |
| Special Lavender or Rainbow Graduation ceremony for LGBTQ students and allies | |
| Admission counselors receive LGBTQ-inclusive training and resources |
