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  • Climate Survey 2019

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

    Penn State University Dickinson Law

    Penn State University Dickinson Law

    January 29, 2019

    1. Does your law school intentionally seek out LGBTQ+ prospective students?
    Yes
    a. If so, how and where are your efforts directed?

    We use CRS to query self-identified LGBTQ+ prospective students and send targeted emails to attract LGBTQ+ applicants. We publicize events hosted by OutLaw through email outreach and on social media. We have also sponsored and sent representatives to LGBTQ+ events.

    2. 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?
    No

    Our welcome packet includes the letter of admission as well as information about accessing the admitted student portal, registering for an admitted student open house, and information about financing law school. We do include a statistic sheet that includes percentages of various historically underrepresented groups including students of color as well as first generation college students.

    3. Does your school offer students the option to self-identify as LGBTQ+ in admissions applications or post-enrollment forms?
    Yes

    We include an optional yes/no check-box question designed to capture whether folks identify as part of the LGBTQ community along with a free text box for applicants to share additional comments on the subject should they choose to do so.

    4. Does your law school offer transgender students who have not legally changed their names the ability to have their name of choice on admission applications or post enrollment forms?
    Yes

    Recognizing that some folks may not use their legal names, we ask applicants to let us know what name they use in their daily lives so that we can address them appropriately.

    5. Does your law school provide any annual scholarships specifically for LGBTQ+ students?
    No

    The University offers such scholarships on a one-time basis for which current students can apply.

    6. Does your law school provide funding, including travel support, for LGBTQ+ students to participate in LGBTQ+-focused learning and career services opportunities?
    Yes
    a. If so, please provide details and examples of when and how those opportunities have been utilized.

    Funding is available if requested by the students to attend learning and career services opportunities. Student Services will pay up to 75% of the travel costs and registration fees.

    7. Does your law school actively seek to employ diverse staff/faculty/administrators, including visible, out LGBTQ+ individuals?
    Yes
    a. If so, please detail how and where recruitment efforts are directed

    Penn State continues in its efforts to be competitive in the recruitment and retention of faculty members from all backgrounds. We also continue to support and create programs to recruit and promote a diverse workforce.

    8. Please identify, to your knowledge, how many out LGBTQ+ faculty your law school employs (if any)
    Penn State does not track the number of LGBTQ employees at the University.
    a. If you answered 'yes' or 'unsure,' please describe your school's process for collecting this data
    9. Please identify, to your knowledge, how many out LGBTQ+ staff/administrators?
    Penn State does not track the number of LGBTQ employees at the University.
    10. Does your law school provide benefits such as health insurance, family medical leave, parental leave, and nontraditional family planning such as in vitro fertilization and/or adoptive benefits on equal terms to same-sex couples who are married or in registered domestic partnerships as are provided to different-sex married or registered domestic partner couples?
    Yes
    a. If so, please summarize or reproduce your policy here

    We offer the same benefits and leave policies consistently across all employees, regardless of same-sex or opposite-sex marriage.  Health insurance is offered to all benefits-eligible employees and their legal spouses.  We offer a core group of infertility benefits, which does not include in vitro fertilization or adoption benefits. Health Plan – PPO Savings Plan Benefits Coverage:

    https://hr.psu.edu/sites/hr/files/2018FacultyStaffTechnicalServicePPOSavingsPlanOverviewOfCoverage.pdf.

    Health Plan – PPO Plan Benefits Coverage:  https://hr.psu.edu/sites/hr/files/2019FacultyStaffPPOPlanCoverage.pdf

    Leave-related policies attached:
    https://policy.psu.edu/policies/hr16
    https://policy.psu.edu/policies/hrg11
    https://policy.psu.edu/policies/hrg18
    https://policy.psu.edu/policies/hrg07
    https://policy.psu.edu/policies/hr20

    11. Does your law school offer the aforementioned health benefits to students and their same-sex spouses/partners?
    Yes
    a. If so, please summarize or reproduce your policy here

    The Student Insurance office handles all student and graduate student policies.  Employee Benefits (HR) does not offer health insurance to students.

    12. Does your law school offer transition-related health benefits to transgender and/or transitioning employees?
    No
    a. If so, please summarize or reproduce your policy here

    All benefits-eligible employees who carry the health insurance have transition-related health benefits included within the health plan.

    13. Does your school offer the same transition-related healthcare benefits to students and their partners/spouses?
    No
    a. If so, please summarize or reproduce your policy here (or you may email a copy of your policy to rishell@lgbtbar.org):

    The Student Insurance office handles all student and graduate student policies.  Employee Benefits (HR) does not offer health insurance to students.

    14. Do all students at your law school have access to counseling and/or therapy services either through the law school or the larger University?
    Yes
    15. Does your law school provide at least bi-annual mandatory diversity and inclusion training that incorporates robust LGBTQ+ curriculum, for all staff/faculty/administrators?
    No
    16. Does your law school provide a gender-inclusive restroom in any and/or all law school buildings?
    Yes
    a. How is that restroom identified (i.e., what does the signage say, is it identified on building maps, is there a gender-inclusive restroom policy that applies to all restrooms and where is that statement published, etc.)?

    Gender Inclusive / Everyone Welcome

    17. Does your law school have one or more annual LGBTQ+ course offerings (e.g., LGBT Law and Policy, Sexual Orientation and the Law, Gender and the Law (taught with trans-inclusive and focused materials), etc.)?
    Yes
    a. If so, please list course names

    Gender and Sexuality: This course focuses on how the law treats issues concerning gender and sexuality. The doctrinal themes that are explored include constitutional notions of privacy/liberty, equality, and expression as applied to categories based on gender, sexuality, and/or sexual orientation. The course examines the relationship between gender and sexuality, based on a multidisciplinary approach informed by history, medicine, science, and broader social and political theories.

    18. Does your law school have an active, visible LGBTQ+ law student group that is supported by the institution?
    Yes

    OutLaw is the student association for LGBTQ-identified students and allies. OutLaw hosts a variety of educational and social events each year, including film screenings, panel discussions, and student mixers.

    19. Does your law school have a hate/bias incident policy that students are required to follow?
    Yes
    a. If so, does that process specifically identify sexual orientation, gender identity, or both as protected categories?
    b. is there a clear hate bias/incident reporting process for students/faculty/staff to utilize if necessary?
    Yes
    20. Please describe all additional ways, not identified through your responses, that your law school works to be safe, inclusive, and welcoming to LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and administrators:

    The university is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the university to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information, or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the university’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated.

    For information on our employee demographics, please see the Penn State Factbook at https://budget.psu.edu/factbook/HrDynamic/FacultyStaffTableOfContents.aspx

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