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Climate Survey 2022

Connect, Share Knowledge, and Succeed Within the LGBTQ+ and Ally Legal Community.

University of Arkansas School of Law

March 23, 2022

Question 1 provided each school with a field to confirm or update their nondiscrimination statement.
 
a. If you answered 'it is incorrect,' please provide the URL from your school's website with the corrected version

https://vcfa.uark.edu/fayetteville-policies-procedures/oeoc/2141.php

b. Does your law school (or larger University, if those policies are binding upon the law school) have a "code of conduct" which prohibits same-sex relationships (including but not limited to physical/sexual activity, marriage or registered domestic partner status, etc.) for employees or students?
No
2. Does your law school intentionally seek out LGBTQ+ prospective students?
Yes
a. If ‘yes,’ how and where are your efforts directed?

The University of Arkansas School of Law seeks out prospective students who self-identify as LGBTQ+ by participating in national and regional recruitment events, conducting targeted email campaigns, connecting with LGBTQ+ student organizations on campus, and utilizing LSAC tools such as the candidate referral service and law school forums. We also connect prospective LGBTQ+ students with current students and faculty members who identify as LGBTQ+. Additionally, the Richard B. Atkinson Law LGBTQ Law & Policy Program supports a variety of activities for allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community, including research, service, teaching, speakers and scholarships designed to educate and affect LGBTQ law and policy.

3. Does your law school's welcome packet for admitted students include mention of identity group support for LGBTQ+ students, as well as for students of color or other minorities?
Yes
4. Does your school offer students the option to self-identify (also known as "Self-ID") as LGBTQ+ in admissions applications or post-enrollment forms?
Yes
a. If 'yes,' please describe your student Self-ID process:

Students may self-identify in their personal statements and/or optional diversity statement. Applicants may select between binary or non-binary gender identity options on the application. Additionally, applicants may self-identify as LGBTQ+ via LSAC.

b. If 'yes,' how many students are currently enrolled at your law school in total?:
365
c. If 'yes,' how many self-identified LGBTQ+ students are currently enrolled at your law school, in total?:
The University of Arkansas School of Law does not formally track this information.
d. If 'yes,' how many of your currently enrolled LGBTQ+ students also self-identify as people of color?
The University of Arkansas School of Law does not formally track this information.
Lesbian?
The University of Arkansas School of Law does not formally track this information.
Gay?
The University of Arkansas School of Law does not formally track this information.
Bisexual/ Pansexual?
The University of Arkansas School of Law does not formally track this information.
Transgender / Nonbinary?
The University of Arkansas School of Law does not formally track this information.
Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?
The University of Arkansas School of Law does not formally track this information.
5. Does your law school offer transgender and nonbinary students who have not legally changed their names the ability to have their name-in-use reflected on their admission applications or post enrollment forms?:
Yes
6. Does your law school provide any annual scholarships specifically for LGBTQ+ students?
Only general diversity scholarships
7. Does your law school actively seek to employ diverse staff/faculty/administrators, including openly LGBTQ+ individuals?:
Yes
a. If 'yes,' please detail how and where diversity recruitment efforts are directed:

Actively engage with diverse job boards/sites to post available faculty opportunities

8. Does your law school conduct a "Self-ID" program which allows staff/faculty/administrators to voluntarily and (if they desire) confidentially identify their gender identity and sexual orientation?:
No
9. How many faculty (not staff/administrators) are employed by your law school in total?
31 Full-time faculty members; 33 Adjunct faculty members
10. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ faculty are employed by your law school in total?
2 Full-time faculty members
Lesbian?
1
Gay?
1
11. How many staff/administrators (not faculty) are employed by your law school in total?
38
13. Does your law school provide employee benefits such as health insurance, family medical leave, parental leave, and nontraditional family planning like assisted reproduction and/or adoptive benefits?
Yes
a. If 'yes,' are those employee benefits available on equal terms to employees in same-sex marital/domestic partnership relationships as they are to employees in different-sex marital/domestic partnership relationships?
Yes
b. If you answered 'yes' to #13, are those employee benefit plans inclusive of the specific needs of LGBTQ+ employees (i.e., are assisted reproductive benefits offered without the need for extended traditional attempts at pregnancy, are care techniques such as mammograms, prostate exams, hysterectomies, etc. available to employees of all genders, are parental leave policies equal for people of all genders, etc.)?
Yes
c. If you answered 'yes' to #13a AND/OR if you answered 'yes' or 'unsure' to #13b, please summarize or reproduce your policy here:

Infertility Treatment means services, tests, supplies, devices, or drugs which are intended to promote fertility, achieve a condition of pregnancy, or treat an Illness causing an infertility condition when such treatment is done in an attempt to bring about a pregnancy.  For purposes of this definition, Infertility Treatment includes, but is not limited to fertility tests and drugs; tests and exams done to prepare for induced conception; surgical reversal of a sterilized state which was a result of a previous surgery; sperm enhancement procedures; direct attempts to cause pregnancy by any means including, but not limited to: hormone therapy or drugs; artificial insemination; In vitro fertilization; Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT), or Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT); embryo transfer; and freezing or storage of embryo, eggs, or semen.

Our reproductive policy does not differentiate between LGBTQ+ employees and non-LGBTQ+ employees.

14. Does your law school offer transition-related health benefits including hormone therapy, gender counseling, gender-affirming surgeries, etc. to transgender/nonbinary employees and employees who are undergoing gender transition?
No
15. Does your law school offer a student benefit plan including health insurance with nontraditional family planning like assisted reproduction and/or adoptive benefits, and/or any additional benefits such as access to campus facilities?
No

We did not feel we could say yes to 15 as we do not have specific assisted reproduction and/or adoptive benefits. One exception is fertility agents/pharmaceuticals.  However, we enroll same-sex marital/domestic partner relationships just as we enroll different-sex marital/domestic partnership relationships. Benefits are all on equal terms.

16. Does your school offer the same transition-related healthcare benefits to students and their partners/spouses who are transgender/nonbinary or undergoing gender transition?
Yes
a. If 'yes,' please summarize or reproduce your policy here:

Transgender services such as counseling, hormone replacement therapy, and gender sexual reassignment surgeries; will be considered. Services must fall under the [CDG] Coverage Determination Guidelines; therefore, I have attached the guidelines for your review. Also, a Pre-Determination is required for all services, and the Pre-Determination should include all procedure codes and will be reviewed based on the CDG guidelines. A mastectomy, complete hysterectomy, and genital reconstruction would be considered for a female to male if medically necessary.

17. Do all students at your law school have access to on-campus health, counseling and therapy services either through the law school or the larger University?
Yes
a. If 'yes,' are your school's on-campus health care providers trained to ensure they can provide culturally and clinically competent care to LGBTQ+ patients, particularly transgender and nonbinary patients?
Yes
b. If you answered 'yes' or 'unsure' to #17a, please provide the basis for your answer (i.e., counseling center language, etc.):

The Pat Walker Health Center voluntarily participates in the rigorous quality assessment program by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).  Accreditation demands a high level of commitment and effort, and challenges us to continually improve the ways we serve our community and ensure they receive the best possible care.  We are proud to offer the U of A community access to quality health care services care that exceed nationally recognized standards.

18. Does your law school provide single-stall and/or multi-stall restrooms available to people of all genders (i.e., gender-neutral restrooms) in each law school building so that transgender/nonbinary people have a safe restroom space?
No
19. If your law school is maintaining gender-segregated (i.e., "Women's Restroom" and "Men's Restroom") restroom stalls, does it have a policy applicable to those facilities which ensures that transgender/nonbinary students/staff/administrators/faculty, as well as anyone who does not meet gender stereotypes, have access to facilities that match their gender identity?
No
b. Do all of the gender-segregated restrooms in your law school buildings have signage specifically indicating that people may use the restroom which best reflects their gender?
No
20. Does your law school have one or more annual LGBTQ+ specific course offerings (e.g., LGBTQ+ Law and Policy, Sexual Orientation Law, Gender Identity Law, etc.)?
Yes, we offer both a Gender Identity Law course and a Sexual Orientation Law course, annually
a. If 'yes,' please list course names:

The Law and Sexuality course explores legal issues surrounding sexuality. The course objectives are to:
Provide an introduction to several different areas of the law involving sexuality and gender identity/expression; Reflect critically on the ways in which the law historically and currently regulates and constructs sexuality and gender; Key areas include legislation, constitutional law, criminal law, and family law.

21. Does your law school have an active LGBTQ+ law student group?
Yes
a. If you answered "yes," does that group receive annual funding from the law school administration?
The group receives funding from a source other than the administration

OutLaw is a registered student organization and as such, receives funding provided by the student activities fee.

22. Does your law school provide funding, including travel support, for LGBTQ+ students to participate in LGBTQ+-focused learning and/or career services opportunities?
Yes
23. Does your law school have a hate/bias incident policy that faculty, staff/administrators, and students are required to follow?
Yes
a. If yes to #23, does that process specifically identify sexual orientation AND/OR gender identity/expression as protected categories?
Yes, both
b. If yes to #23, does the policy set out a clear hate bias/incident reporting process for faculty, staff/administrators, and students to utilize if necessary?
Yes
24. Does your law school provide mandatory anti-sexual harassment training that explicitly covers same-sex harassment and harassment of transgender/nonbinary people, for all staff/faculty/administrators, at least every three years?
Yes
25. Does your law school provide diversity and inclusion training that incorporates robust LGBTQ+ curriculum as well as anti-racism curriculum, at least every three years? NOTE: Please check all that apply.
Yes, optional for all faculty/staff/administrators
Yes, optional for all students
26. Does your school enable and encourage the sharing of personal pronouns (e.g., She/Her, He/Him, They/Them) and honorifics (e.g., Ms., Mx., Mr.) in public communications (email signature blocks, Zoom profiles, nametags, event registration forms, etc.)?
People are allowed to use them but the school doesn't facilitate or request it
a. Does your law school capture students' personal pronouns and honorifics as part of the registration process?
We capture this data elsewhere
b. If your law school captures students' personal pronouns and honorifics, is that information consistently shared with professors on class rosters with an expectation that it will be used in the classroom?
No

Students may include pronouns and honorifics in their law school application, but it is not required.

27. Please describe all additional ways, not identified through your earlier responses, in which your law school works to be safe, inclusive, and welcoming for its LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and administrators:

Thank you for this opportunity. To ensure we offer a place of belonging and understanding for all faculty, students, and staff, we:  1. Hired a full-time Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging;  2. Created, implemented, and continually engage our DE&I plan;  3. Created an Anti-Bias & Anti-Racist Task Force;  4. Survey our students via a law school climate survey to assess and conduct an analysis of the provided feedback from our community;  5.Support our student population and organizations.