Commission History

PCSOGI was first established in the fall of 1994 as an advisory committee to the NIU President. The advisory committee was upgraded to the status of university commission in 2002.

The commission is one result of the university’s Task Force on Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation, established by former NIU President John LaTourette in 1992 to investigate the campus climate for lesbians, gays, and bisexuals. Its charge was to evaluate the frequency, form, and circumstances of harassment, and to identify what regulations, programs, and processes were either already in place or were needed to address these issues.

After a year of conducting research activities, the Task Force summarized their findings in a 1993 report, Building Community: The Inclusion of Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals, which included 42 recommendations for action.

The establishment of an on-going presidential commission to address the needs of lesbian, gay, and bisexual students, faculty, and staff was one recommendation included in the report.

In 2004, the commission officially expanded its mission to include issues related to gender identity.