Capital University Law School’s communications to admitted students includes a formal welcome letter sent from the Associate Director of Diversity & Inclusion, which includes a listing of affinity student groups for both LGBTQ+ students and other minorities. The letter highlights support services provided by the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and highlights student groups that include the Capital Equality Alliance, the Black Law Student Association, the Asian & Pacific American Law Student Association, and the Hispanic Law Students Association.
Capital University Law School Office of Admission offers students the opportunity to self-identify as LGBTQ+ in admission applications, in addition to opportunities to provide their preferred first name and gender identity. Our Office of Professional Development allows students to utilize their preferred name and gender identity in Symplicity, the Law School’s career management system. Our Office of Records and Registration likewise allows students to utilize preferred name and gender identity on class rosters.
Capital Law offers transgender students the ability to have their name of choice on admission applications and post-enrollment forms.
Capital University Law School proudly awards the Ackerman-Gemette Scholarship annually to currently enrolled students with a demonstrated interest in advancing the rights of LGBT individuals in the United States. This scholarship is awarded annually for more than 15 years, with the scholarship’s first award date in 2003.
Yes. Provided in part by the generosity of donors and alumni, the Office of Professional Development will reimburse up to $50 of a student’s registration fee for job fairs and similar opportunities. Students have utilized these opportunities to attend events like Lavender Law, and other LGBTQ+ related professional fairs.
Capital University Law School proudly and actively seeks to employ diverse faculty, staff, and administrators, including visible and out LGBTQ+ individuals as evidenced by the 10 openly LGBTQ+ colleagues identified in questions 8 &9. Additionally, those 10 individuals serve on hiring committees, share job postings with LGBTQ+ sections, subcommittees, and affinity groups, and disseminate employment opportunities at Capital University Law School within their personal and professional networks.
Capital University Law School proudly offers health benefits and family medical leave to same-sex couples who are married or who are in registered domestic partnerships. Capital University Law School does not provide nontraditional family planning such as in vitro fertilization and/or adoptive benefits to any employee. For additional information about health benefits, please see information at the following link: https://www.capital.edu/employee-benefits/
Capital University Law School does not offer health benefits to any law student or to their spouse or registered domestic partner.
Capital University Law School does offer transition-related benefits to transgender and transitioning employees if there has been a Gender Dysphoria diagnosis.
Capital University Law School does not offer health benefits to any law student or to their spouse or registered domestic partner.
All Capital University Law School students have access to counseling services via the University’s Health and Wellness Center with offices at both the Downtown Columbus Campus and the Bexley Campus.
Capital University Law School does not offer mandatory LGBTQ+ training to faculty, staff, administrators, or students. Optional trainings are offered to all community members in conjunction with partner organizations like Stonewall Columbus and Equitas Health.
Capital University Law School provides gender-neutral restrooms. Signage identifies the facilities as “All Gender Restroom” in compliance with campus signage rules.
Capital University Law School offers the course 846 – Sexual Minorities and the Law.
Yes. Capital University Law School has an active, visible, and supported LGBTQ+ and ally student affinity organization called the Capital Equality Alliance.
Capital University Law School provides an active hate and bias reporting options meant to enforce the bounds of the University’s Human Dignity Policy and Non-Discrimination Policy. This system allows in-person reporting, reporting via phone, reporting via e-mail, and anonymous reporting via Ethicspoint. Key points of contact include the Offices of Diversity & Inclusion, Student Affairs, and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and other faculty and staff.
Capital University Law School promotes a safe, inclusive, and welcoming learning atmosphere for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff, and administrators, and has been such an environment for many years. The Law School faculty and administration were instrumental in moving the University to recognize and to offer same-sex couples in domestic partnerships health and other benefits many years before marriage equality became a reality. Capital University Law School also encourages student, faculty, and staff participation in LGBTQ+ affinity groups and diversity-related programming through the Columbus Bar Association and Ohio State Bar Association.
In addition, the Law School is a proud LGBTQ+ community partner. In 2001, the Law School and the Capital University Law Review hosted a national symposium that addressed, analyzed, and debated marriage equality. Today, under the Law School’s leadership the University is continued sponsor of the Stonewall Columbus Pride Parade and Festival. Diversity-related programming and intersectional partnerships throughout the Columbus community are also provided. Trainings and health screenings with Equitas Health are also offered. Additionally, Capital University Law School routinely partners with Equitas Health and the Legal Aid Society of Columbus to host a name change clinic focused on serving the local transgender population. In addition, Capital University Law School LGBTQ+ faculty and staff have been and continue to be active in advancing the recognition of the LGBTQ+ community within the legal profession. Currently, Jason Owen, the Associate Director of Admission, actively serves on the LSAC Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Subcommittee and was instrumental in the planning of the inaugural LSAC Equality Conference. He has also participated in two of the last three National LGBT Bar Association’s Lavender Law Conferences on behalf of the LSAC and Capital University Law School. Shawn Beem, the current Assistant Dean for Professional Development, served as the Chair of the former LGBT Section of NALP. He also co-authored NALP’s informative brochure, “To Be Out or Not to Be Out? Information for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Job Applicants.” Professor Mark Strasser has published extensively in the area of LGBTQ+ and family law and is the author of such books as, Separate But Equal” No More: A Guide to the Legal Status of Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions, and Other Partnerships and Legally Wed: Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution. Professor Strasser has published nearly a dozen articles on the broader topic of the LGBTQ+ community’s relationship with the law, with topics ranging from DOMA to parental rights. Professor Rick Wood has also worked extensively in the area of LGBTQ+ law, as he spent time working to defeat the Briggs Initiative in California, and has chaired the AALS Section of Gay and Lesbian Legal Issues.
Capital University Law School proudly and intentionally seeks out LGBTQ+ prospective students through a variety of methods including: targeted emails to those who self-identify through the Law School Admission Council’s (LSAC) Candidate Referral Service; our annual sponsorship and presence at the Stonewall Columbus Pride Parade and Festival, which boasts attendance of over 500,000 people each year, and includes invitations to all prospective and admitted students; display and distribution of Capital Law and LSAC branded LGBTQ+ promotional materials at all law student recruitment events and Capital Law future student events; and annual and consistent participation in the LSAC’s LGBTQ+ Guide to Law Schools available at: https://www.lsac.org/discover-law/diversity-law-school/lgbtq-and-law-school/law-school-lgbtq-survey-results/capital
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