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  • Climate Survey 2021

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

    Southwestern 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?

    Southwestern is committed to increasing access to quality legal education. Southwestern hosts an annual Diversity Day event where LGBTQ+ students can connect with professors and current students, and members of our on-campus LGBTQ+ student organization. We have scholarships specifically for our LGBTQ+ students, and we also send staff and students to the Lavender Law Conference and the LSAC LGBTQIA Equality Conference.

    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?
    Yes
    a. If 'yes,' please describe your student Self-ID process:

    There is an optional LGBTQ+ identity question on the application form. Applicants are also invited to submit an optional diversity statement where they can share their sexual orientation or gender identity.

    b. If 'yes,' how many students are currently enrolled at your law school in total?:
    879
    c. If 'yes,' how many self-identified LGBTQ+ students are currently enrolled at your law school, in total?:
    71
    d. If 'yes,' how many of your currently enrolled LGBTQ+ students also self-identify as people of color?
    30. Asian, Black, Hispanic and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander included in “people of color."
    Lesbian?
    Southwestern does not collect this data.
    Gay?
    Southwestern does not collect this data.
    Bisexual/ Pansexual?
    Southwestern does not collect this data.
    Transgender / Nonbinary?
    Southwestern does not collect this data. Please note that in the 2019 ABA, there was one student who did not select a gender. However, SW does not actively collect the data requested in 4e-4i.
    Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?
    Southwestern does not collect this data.
    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
    6. Does your law school provide any annual scholarships specifically for LGBTQ+ students?
    Yes

    – Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Law Students Association Scholarship Fund: A fund was established by this Southwestern student organization to provide scholarships for deserving gay, lesbian and bisexual students at the law school.

    – Robyn Mellender Memorial Scholarship Fund: This fund was established in memory of Robyn Mellender ’04 and provides assistance to LGBT students at Southwestern.

    – Daniel Aragon Memorial Scholarship Fund: Established by Daniel Aragon ’97 to support continuing students with financial need who are active members of the Gay and Lesbian Association at Southwestern.

    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:

    Southwestern Law School’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is part of its long standing mission. Recruitment efforts for staff including advertising on several platforms in an effort to reach a diverse pool of qualified applicants. Platforms include LinkedIn, Simplicity, ZipRecruiter, Indeed, and various listservs.

    Southwestern has been committed to academic diversity since its founding in 1911. Our commitment to diversity in faculty, students and staff remains a top priority for us today. With respect to faculty, we have taken special care to note all diversity resumes that have been submitted through formal channels, such as the AALS process, or placement bulletins. But we have also recruited through more informal channels. We have called on individual faculty members to reach out to members of federal, state, and local bar associations who come from historically underrepresented communities and show promise as law teachers, and encourage them to apply for faculty 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?
    58
    10. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ faculty are employed by your law school in total?
    8
    a. With reference to #10, how many LGBTQ+ faculty self-identify as people of color?
    3
    Lesbian?
    3
    Gay?
    4
    Bisexual/Pansexual?
    1
    Transgender / Nonbinary?
    N/A
    Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?
    N/A
    11. How many staff/administrators (not faculty) are employed by your law school in total?
    106
    12. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ staff/administrators are employed by your law school in total?
    Southwestern does not currently track this information or collect this data.
    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.)?
    Yes
    c. If you answered 'yes' to #13a AND/OR if you answered 'yes' or 'unsure' to #13b, please summarize or reproduce your policy here:

    Yes, comprehensive medical coverage is offered to all employees and their partners equally, regardless of LGBTQ+ status.

    From our health-care/insurance provider:

    Aetna complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. Aetna does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

    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?
    Yes
    a. If 'yes' or ‘unsure,’ please summarize or reproduce your policy here:

    Here is the policy from our health-care insurance provider:

    Aetna does offer transition-related benefits for transgender/transitioning employees.

    Counseling

    Hormone therapy

    Surgical

    Please see the policy here: http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/600_699/0615.html

    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?
    Yes
    a. If yes, are those student benefits available on equal terms to students in same-sex marital/domestic partnership relationships as they are to students in different- sex marital/domestic partnership relationships?
    Yes
    b. If you answered yes to #15, are those student benefit plans inclusive of the specific needs of LGBTQ+ students (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 students of all genders, etc.)?
    Yes
    c. If you answered yes to #15a AND/OR if you answered yes or unsure to #15b, please summarize or reproduce your policy here

    Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan

    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?
    Yes
    a. If 'yes,' please summarize or reproduce your policy here:

    Gender Dysphoria Treatment

    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.):

    Yes, all Southwestern students have access to counseling and/or psychological services.

    Southwestern provides students with the counseling services of HelpNet, a private consulting firm that can refer students to counseling services and community resources for problems involving relationships, academic stress, family, financial and legal circumstances, substance abuse and other concerns. Students are entitled to two free counseling sessions each year (July 1 through June 30).

    All the counselors in HelpNet’s network have been carefully screened for professional licensing and credentials. 

    Psychotherapist Daria Spino is also available to assist students on campus several days per week. Students are entitled to up to three, 50-minute sessions per semester, where they will receive one-on-one guidance.

    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?
    Yes
    a. If 'yes,' please describe how those all-gender restroom(s) is/are identified (i.e., what does the signage say, is it identified on building maps and online resources), the number of all-gender restroom stalls available in each law school building, and whether these are accessible for people with disabilities in each building or floor

    There is a Gender Neutral sign on designated restrooms.

    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, but LGBTQ+ content is included in other courses
    b. If you answered 'no, but LGBTQ+ content is included in other courses' to #20, please list course names AND approximately what percentage of course time is dedicated to LGBTQ+ content for each course:

    Women and the Law Seminar; Race and the Law Seminar; Critical Race Theory Seminar; Criminal Law Seminar: Sex Crimes; Law and Literature Seminar

    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:

    Through our Dean of Students and Diversity Affairs’ Office, Career Services Office, and Student Affairs Office, we have funded students and staff to travel to attend the Lavender Law Conference, as well as the LSAC LGBTQIA Equality Conference.

    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
    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
    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.
    Yes, optional for all faculty/staff/administrators
    Yes, optional for all students
    a. If you selected other, please describe your diversity and inclusion training options:

    Yes, we have a Diversity & Inclusion committee that is comprised of faculty, staff, and students that puts together programs and leads discussions to address these issues. 

    Participation in the programs/events are optional for all staff, students, and faculty.

    The Diversity and Inclusion Committee has a portal page where students, staff, and faculty can access videos and articles, including on gender identity issues, and sends out a monthly newsletter to students that highlights a diversity-related topic and offers educational material to students. These newsletters have included a focus on transgender violence, for example. In addition, the school launched an extensive survey of the student body on inclusivity issues last year and is reviewing the results to identify areas of need.

    Additionally, The Dean’s Task Force for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging was established to address important issues related to the diversity and inclusiveness of our community. The Dean’s Task Force for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging has four subcommittees (Training, Programming, Grievance, and Curriculum) comprised of faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The Dean’s Task Force has provided a unique opportunity for all subsections of our community to come to the table to discuss critical issues, those that relate to our sense of belonging, and put into action ways to make positive changes so that all community members feel valued and included at Southwestern.

    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:

    At Southwestern, it is our mission to foster diversity and inclusion. We take pride in our vibrant community of students, staff, and faculty from all walks of life, and we strive to be as supportive as possible to our LGBTQ+ community.

    Here are all the additional ways our law school provides a welcoming, safe and inclusive learning environment to our LGBTQ+ community :

    As a show of support to our LGBTQ+ students and faculty, we have designed our own pride month school logo.

    Our LGBTQ+ student group, OUTLaw is active on campus and supported by Professor John Heilman, a City Council Member and former 8-time Mayor of West Hollywood. (You can check out our Q&A with Professor Heilman for Pride Month here: https://www.swlaw.edu/swlawblog/201806/qa-professor-john-heilman-pride-month)

    The group’s current faculty advisor is Professor Bryce Woolley, a member of The Williams Institute’s L.A. Leadership Council. The Williams Institute conducts independent research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy

    (Watch our Q&A with Professor Woolley for Pride Month here: https://www.swlaw.edu/swlawblog/201906/qa-professor-bryce-woolley-pride-month) 

    In 2020, we also did a Q&A with Professor Isabelle Gunning who served on the Executive Committee of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Section on Gay & Lesbian Issues. (https://www.swlaw.edu/swlawblog/202006/pride-month-qa-professor-isabelle-gunning) 

    Just this year, our Student Bar Association started their SBA Social Justice Safe Space Series. In this monthly conversation series sponsored by our affinity groups including our LGBTQ+ student group OUTLaw, guest lecturers are invited to help lead discussions on issues such as discrimination, racism, and disenfranchisement, as it relates to the legal profession.

    We have a whole week dedicated to Diversity in which our LGBTQ+ students are celebrated as part of our larger community.

    We have a Diversity and Inclusion Committee that is comprised of faculty, staff, AND students. 

    Additionally, Southwestern began the Dean’s Task Force for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging to move our campus toward being as open and inclusive as possible and to help maintain an environment conducive to learning from one another, sharing experiences, and promoting justice.

    Southwestern Law School has been recognized for our commitment to diversity and has received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity for seven years. This award was presented to Southwestern based on the law school’s exemplary diversity and inclusion initiatives, and ability to embrace a broad definition of diversity on campus, including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBT community. This is one of many awards in recognition for our commitment to diversity. Most recently, Southwestern was recognized by preLaw Magazine as one of the Top Ten Most Diverse Law Schools in 2020 with a grade of A+. You can find more here: https://www.swlaw.edu/student-life/diversity 

    There is 24/7 security on campus to make sure all of our students feel safe on campus.

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