For the 2020 application cycle, we added two questions to our admission application that allow applicants to (1) identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and/or (2) identify as an ally of the community. We recognize that these questions are not nuanced enough and are committed to providing an opportunity for students to Self-ID via a post-enrollment survey. We are also exploring ways to expand the question in the application.
The law school disseminates its job postings widely across national and local listservs and job sites, including the AALS and CLEA websites, AALS Minority Listserv, AALS Clinical Listserv, Langston/Ludie Writers Workshop Listservs, National Association for Law Placement’s Job Center, the Chronicle of Higher Education’s ChronicleVitae, Indeed, LinkedIn, the DC Consortium of Legal Services Providers, and its diverse group of alumni.
UDC Law employees participate in the DC Employees Health Benefits Program which, by law, allows for coverage of domestic partners and the dependent children of domestic partners. The DC Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment based on sex, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation.
Employees may choose from among several health insurance plans. https://www.udc.edu/human-resources/benefits/
The University’s student health insurance plan does not cover infertility treatments but does cover preventative care and gender confirmation procedures and/or treatments. https://www.firststudent.com/school_page/university-of-the-district-of-columbia/home-udc/ and https://www.udc.edu/health-services/helpful-resources/.
The law school cannot attest to the training received by all of the university’s on-campus health care providers, but University Health Services makes a point of noting it “is committed to providing caring, quality, confidential services to the university community, inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities.” https://www.udc.edu/health-services/. It also provides resources specifically for LGBTQ+ students. https://www.udc.edu/health-services/helpful-resources/
The law school building has five single-stall restrooms (two on the 1st floor, one on the 3rd floor, and two on the law library level), all accessible for people with disabilities, labeled as Family Restrooms.
http://docs.udc.edu/president/All-Gender-Restrooms-2-12-2020.pdf
Gender & Sexual Orientation Under the Law Seminar
The law school’s LGBTQ+ student organization, OutLaw, has used its funding for student networking and career services activities, including participation in Lavender Law.
In 2019, the University opened the Center for Diversity, Inclusion & Multicultural Affairs to provide programming, resources, and a welcoming and affirming environment for historically marginalized populations, specifically including LGBTQ and non-binary identifying students.
Our outreach to LGBTQ+ prospective students includes direct and indirect methods. We attend several law school fairs each year where LGBTQ+ prospects are in attendance. We affirmatively identify ourselves as a school who welcomes and supports members of the LGBTQ+ community. As a Black gay man, our Associate Dean of Admission & Financial Aid also engages in direct recruitment of LGBTQ+ prospective students via his involvement local and national civic and community-based organizations.