Univ. of Iowa asks incoming students to disclose sexual orientation

A converted U.S. flag displays rainbow colors as people relax on the grass after the fourth annual national march for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender rights April 30, 2000 on the mall in Washington, DC.

It's December and by now, kids headed for college — and their parents — have filled out countless admissions forms. Applications for financial aid mean gathering lots of information, like transcripts, essays.

It's December and by now, kids headed for college — and their parents — have filled out countless admissions forms. Applications for financial aid mean gathering lots of information, like transcripts, essays...plus a lot of questions.

Now one school is asking students to state their sexual orientation, if they'd like to.

The University of Iowa is the first public institution in the U.S. to ask applicants to identify as gay, lesbian or transgender. Seems innocent enough, but the issue has divided the higher-ed community.

The board overseeing the Common Application, that's the admission form accepted by more than 400 schools, rejected a similar plan last year.

With more is Eric Hoover of the Chronicle of Higher Education.