MENU

  • Lavender Law

    Annual Conference


  • Membership

    Join Us!


  • DEI

    Consulting Practice


  • Education

    Series

Climate Survey 2021

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

Duquesne University School of Law

March 23, 2021

Question 1 provided each school with a field to confirm or update their nondiscrimination statement.
 
2. Does your law school intentionally seek out LGBTQ+ prospective students?
Yes
a. If ‘yes,’ how and where are your efforts directed?

We recruit LGBTQ+ prospective students at Duquesne Law through our email campaigns, social media and web communications. We work closely with the student leaders to develop messaging to inform prospective students of opportunities at the Law School. We promote the organization for LGBTQ+ students through video and social media, and on-campus sessions such as, “Catholic Universities Welcoming LGBTQIA+ Students: A Conversation with Fr. James Martin, SJ.”

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?
No

We are currently updating the admissions application to include options for students to self-identify as a member of a gender or sexual orientation minority group.

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

The admissions application provides students the option to list their preferred name.

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:

We actively seek diverse candidates for all University positions.

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?
23 full time faculty
10. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ faculty are employed by your law school in total?
Unsure
11. How many staff/administrators (not faculty) are employed by your law school in total?
37
12. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ staff/administrators are employed by your law school in total?
Unsure
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.)?
Unsure
c. If you answered 'yes' to #13a AND/OR if you answered 'yes' or 'unsure' to #13b, please summarize or reproduce your policy here:

Employee benefits are the same for all employees regardless of gender identity.

https://www.duq.edu/work-at-du/human-resources-home/the-administrative-policies-(taps)/23-leaves-of-absence-family-and-medical-leave-maternity-leave-parental-leave-and-personal-leave

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

Student benefit plans are offered to all students.

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?
No
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.):

In addition to Diversity and Inclusion Training for faculty and staff, we offer individual counseling and “The Intersection of Gender and Sexuality: A Support Group for LGBTQIA+ Students.” The Counseling Center also provides LGBTQ+ resources for our campus community https://duq.edu/life-at-duquesne/health-recreation-and-counseling/counseling-services/wellbeing-resources

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

For the 2021-22 academic year, the School of Law will have two gender-neutral restroom options. There are also gender-neutral restrooms across campus.

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
20. Does your law school have one or more annual LGBTQ+ specific course offerings (e.g., LGBTQ+ Law and Policy, Sexual Orientation and the Law, Gender and the Law (focused on trans-inclusive materials), etc.)?
No
21. Does your law school have an active LGBTQ+ law student group that is supported by the administration?
Yes
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
a. If yes please provide details and examples of when and how those opportunities have been utilized in the past three years:

The LGBTQ+ focused student organization is provided the same financial support as all other organizations and may be provided with funding to attend a conference. Funding for a career fair would be provided through the Career Services Office.

All student groups are supported with equal access to funding. We also ensure that our LGBTQ+ law student group is connected with the LGBTQ+ group within the Allegheny County Bar Association.

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

Duquesne has a newly formed Bias Education Response Team comprised of diverse representatives from across the University. Some of the goals include streamlining reporting, ensuring anonymity when requested, and creating restorative processes that result in improvements for all parties involved.

In addition, Policy 31 addresses sexual misconduct and gender discrimination https://www.duq.edu/work-at-du/human-resources-home/the-administrative-policies-(taps)/31-sexual-misconduct-and-gender-discrimination and law students are covered by the student conduct code, which prohibits the following: bullying, discrimination, and incivility through language or actions. The code is online at https://duq.edu/assets/Documents/student-conduct/_pdf/Student%20Handbook%201.21.21.pdf

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

All students complete Title IX training as part of orientation.

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.
Other
a. If you selected other, please describe your diversity and inclusion training options:

All students complete Diversity and Inclusion training as part of orientation. This includes discussion of LGBTQIA+ issues. Faculty and staff also engage in Diversity & Inclusion training, with opportunities for ongoing education and discussion.

26. 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:

Dean April Barton formed the Dean’s Diversity Action Council (https://www.duq.edu/academics/schools/law/diversity/deans-diversity-action-council) during her first semester at Duquesne University School of Law.  This is an active group that includes faculty, staff, administrators, and student leaders, who engage in open dialogue and take proactive steps to create a culture of inclusion and belonging specifically in the School of Law.  

University Diversity Statement

https://www.duq.edu/about/facts-and-rankings/celebrating-diversity/diversity-statement

Duquesne Law Non-discrimination Policy and Employer Guidelines

https://www.duq.edu/academics/schools/law/career-services/employers/non-discrimination-policy-and-employer-guidelines 

Admissions Non-discrimination Notice

https://www.duq.edu/admissions-and-aid/non-discrimination-notice-and-title-ix-coordinator-contact