BOSTON - Boston University is one of only 10 Division I institutions to achieve a perfect Athletic Equality Index (AEI) score of 100 over the past year, as announced this week by Athlete Ally.

Launched in 2017, the AEI measures LGBTQ+ inclusion policies and practices in NCAA athletic departments, providing a comprehensive snapshot of how institutions are supporting their student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans.

Joining BU with a perfect score in the 2020 AEI were Ohio State, Kent State, Miami, USC, Arizona, George Mason, California, Illinois and Penn.

"This is recognition of a great accomplishment for all of us here at BU to be proud of," said director of athletics Drew Marrochello. "To create our current policies, a lot of discussion and hard work by our senior administration and Athlete Ally chapter needed to take place, and this is certainly a reward for that process. Our department prides itself on our inclusive environment and we look forward to setting and reaching new goals within this realm in the future."

The AEI aims to set a gold standard of LGBTQ+ policies and practices in collegiate athletics and, in the process, provide feedback to departments on how their LGBTQ+ inclusion policies and practices compare to others across the nation. 

"Getting a perfect score on the Athletic Equality Index was one of my biggest goals to accomplish during my time as president of our Athlete Ally chapter." said BU Athlete Ally president Veronica Kriss, a senior on the track & field and cross country teams. "This index is a testament to our athletic department's inclusive environment and our promise to support all athletes equally, regardless of race, gender identity, or sexuality. I am very proud to be a part of a community such as this one, and I hope that other schools also take action to support their LGBTQIA+ student-athletes, so that they may live authentically while competing in their respective sports."

Athlete Ally performs a comprehensive audit of the student-athlete handbook, policy manuals, and official athletics website at each institution while using measurements that determine how the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community are positively impacted.