The University of Iowa is the first public institution and the second higher-education institution  in the country to include optional questions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in the admissions application.

According to a UI release, the university implemented the option for the 2012 fall semester.

“The new LGBT question on our undergraduate application reflects our foundational commitment to inclusion of all students, no matter what their origin or orientation,” said Michael Barron, assistant provost and executive director of Admissions, in a release.

The question on the application states, “Do you identify with the LGBTQ Community” and offers “Transgender” as an additional gender option, the release said.

Georgina Dodge, the UI chief diversity officer and associate vice president, said adding the optional questions to the application was an important step in achieving an even higher ranking on the Campus Pride Index — a national indication of LGBT friendliness of college and university campuses.

The UI offers a living-learning community promoting inclusion and awareness for individuals across the gender and sexuality spectrum.

Elmhurst College, a private four-year liberal-arts college in Elmhurst, Ill., was the first U.S. institution to ask the question on an admissions application.

— by Jordyn Reiland