As discussed below, we invite students to self-identify as LGBTQ+ and direct specific outreach to those applicants with more information about being an LGBTQ+ student at Penn State Law.
Our application form includes two questions, both optional to answer: 1. Do you consider yourself to me a member of the LGBTQA community? This question is optional and will be used only by the admissions committee to gain a better understanding of the whole person whose application is being reviewed. (A yes/no choice is provided) 2. Please feel free to share any additional information about your response to the above question and/or a brief description of your gender identity. This question is optional and will be used by the admissions committee to gain a better understanding of the whole person whose application is being reviewed.
We follow Penn State’s nondiscrimination policy as described above and seek to create a diverse community, and if a candidate self-identifies as LGBTQ+, connect them with various resources and sources of information about what it’s like to live in State College and work at Penn State as an LGBTQ+ person.
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Students have access to the following campus health resources:
UHS – “University Health Services (UHS), Health Promotion & Wellness (HPW), and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) strive to provide high-quality health care in an environment of inclusivity and respect. . . . We encourage and provide training for our staff on health care challenges encountered by our sexual and gender diverse communities and look for ways to improve our systems and communications so that we can better serve those who seek care from us.”
• https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellness/healthcare-and-medical-services/services/medical-services/lgbtq-health
Gender Diverse Care Team – “A multi-disciplinary team, known as the Gender Diverse Care Team, provides care specific to trans/non-binary individuals. The team is comprised of physicians, a nurse practitioner, social workers/ case managers, and counselors/psychologists.”
• More information on Gender Diverse Care: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/health-wellness/genderdiversecare
CAPS – “CAPS is committed to providing affirming, high quality mental health services to transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and sexually diverse students.”
• More information on CAPS Care for LGBTQ+ people: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/resources/resources-sexually-diverse-and-gender-diverse-students
We have two all-gender restrooms (labeled as such) on the ground floor of the Katz Building, and one in the law library. All are also accessible for people with disabilities.
We follow Penn State’s policy: “In keeping with the University’s policy of nondiscrimination and the commitment to inclusion, the University allows students, staff, faculty, and visitors to use the restroom or facility that corresponds to their gender identity.” (https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/campus-community-diversity/lgbtq-community/transgender-and-non-binary-penn-state)
Law and Sexuality; and Gender Identity Seminar
While we do give funding for conferences and events, they also receive funding from the Student Bar Association
We regularly send interested students to the Lavender Law conference, our Career Services office runs several diversity-related information sessions that include LGBTQ-specific scholarships, and both Outlaw and the office of the Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion sponsor events such as lectures, panels, etc. on LGBTQ+ focused learning.
Yes, optional for all students
Our professors manage their own rosters from Canvas or LionPATH. On Canvas, students can specify their pronouns.
Penn State runs a training program called “Safer People Safer Places” for faculty and staff about how to be an effective ally to members of the LGBTQ+ community. Upon completion of one of the workshops, participants are offered a sticker (design visible here: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/campus-community-diversity/lgbtq-community/be-informed/faculty-staff-lgbtq-workshops) that they are encouraged to display somewhere like their office door to signal to students that they will be a supportive ally. Second, in recent semesters our Career Services office has sent out an email to the entire school before a first visit from military recruiters noting that the current ban of transgender servicemembers does not follow our nondiscrimination policy and reiterating our support for trans members of our community, including trans veterans. Third, the Dean and administrators meet informally with LGBTQ+ students and groups to listen to concerns and constructively identify solution to make the law school a place where everyone feels included.