University of Southern California, Gould School of Law

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 participate in many LGBTQ+ focused recruitment events (both sponsored by LSAC and other pre-law organizations). We also have staff members attend professional diversity conferences to learn new and improved strategies to recruit prospective LGBTQ+ students.

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

All of this information is made available via our Admitted Student portal, which has replaced the traditional hard copy version of a welcome packet.

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:

Our application asks an optional question if a student self-identifies as LGBTQ. It is a yes/no question and does not drill down with additional specificity.

b. If 'yes,' how many students are currently enrolled at your law school in total?:

Approximately 600 JD students.

c. If 'yes,' how many self-identified LGBTQ+ students are currently enrolled at your law school, in total?:

Approximately 70

d. If 'yes,' how many of your currently enrolled LGBTQ+ students also self-identify as people of color?

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

As it relates to the admissions application, they do have the opportunity to list a “preferred” name.

6. Does your law school provide any annual scholarships specifically for LGBTQ+ students?

Yes

To our knowledge, we were the first law school in the nation to have an entirely student funded endowed scholarship for LGBTQ students launched via our OUTLaw student organization.

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 post jobs externally to job boards that are committed to diversity and inclusion. We attract members of various diverse backgrounds, including from the LGBT community.

We also include the following paragraph in our job announcements that expresses our

commitment to diversity and inclusion: Equity, diversity, inclusion, opportunity and access are of central importance to the Gould School of Law (Gould). Gould holds a unique position in society, and within the university, as every aspect of these principles are influenced by and can be protected through legal rules and institutions. At Gould, we are proudly committed to maintaining a community in which each person respects the rights of others to live, work, and learn in peace and dignity, to be proud of who and what they are, and to have equal opportunity to realize their full potential as individuals and members of society.

External websites include but are not limited to:

Ø HigherEdJobs.com with Diversity and Inclusion Email upgrade

Ø ACPA – College Student Educators International

Ø AAHHE (American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education)

Ø NADOHE (National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education)

Ø NAME (National Association for Multicultural Education)

Ø IMDiversity

Ø NCORE (National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education)

Ø AABHE (American Association of Blacks in Higher Education)

Ø HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities)

Ø HERC

Ø etc

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?:

Yes

a. If you answered 'yes' or 'unsure,' please describe your school's process for collecting this data

This is a USC centralized electronic process that is made available for new hires in the onboarding process or for current employees in Workday which is the employee self-service system.

9. How many faculty (not staff/administrators) are employed by your law school in total?

52 full-time faculty and 145 Part Time faculty.

10. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ faculty are employed by your law school in total?

a. With reference to #10, how many LGBTQ+ faculty self-identify as people of color?

Lesbian?

Unknown

Gay?

Bisexual/Pansexual?

Unknown

Transgender / Nonbinary?

Unknown

Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?

Unknown

11. How many staff/administrators (not faculty) are employed by your law school in total?

137

12. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ staff/administrators are employed by your law school in total?

a. With reference to #12, how many LGBTQ+ staff/administrators self-identify as people of color?

Unknown

Lesbian?

Unknown

Gay?

Unknown

Bisexual / Pansexual?

Unknown

Transgender / Nonbinary?

Unknown

Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?

Unknown

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:

The University provides these benefits to all employees, including LGBT employees.
Here is a link to our policy:
https://employees.usc.edu/new-baby/
https://employees.usc.edu/full-time-faculty-staff/

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:

The University has an LGBT Resource Center page that provides information for transition-related healthcare. More information is found on this page: https://lgbtrc.usc.edu/trans/trans-related-health-care-for-university-employees/

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?

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:

Transgender Surgery Process Guide for Patients from University of Southern California

Student Health Insurance Plan Benefits: Transgender surgery and hormones are covered benefits of the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) provided through Aetna. For questions and concerns about your health insurance plan and benefits, please schedule a private benefits counseling appointment with Debbie Hansen, care coordination lead for transgender medical care, at (213) 740-2180.

For patients with non-SHIP insurance, please contact your member services (located on the back of your insurance card) to determine coverage for benefits.

Additional Campus Resources

LGBT Resource Center, USC Student Affairs

Provides information on transgender resources, including gender and/or name changes, housing concerns, insurance information and programming and support. Offices are located in Student Union 202.

Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services, USC Student Health

Provides services for any survivor of gender-based harm, including sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking. Counselors in this office, as licensed mental health providers in Counseling and Mental Health Services (part of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Keck Medicine of USC) are confidential resources. Services are available in the Engemann Student Health Center (University Park Campus) and the Eric Cohen Student Health Center (Health Sciences Campus).

Note: You are welcome to use any restroom that you would like to in the student health centers.

https://studenthealth.usc.edu/transgender-care/

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.):

Transgender Care

USC Student Health is committed to providing comprehensive, integrated care for transgender students at USC. We understand that gender is a complex mix of cultural, biological and psychological factors. We use an integrative health model that can assist students with information and support related to transgender, genderqueer and non-binary health and wellness. Contact us at 213-740-9355 (WELL) or through the MySHR patient portal to make an appointment with a provider to discuss how we may support your needs.

Medical Services

Each transgender person has a different story and may be at a different stage in their transition; with different needs and expectations. For that reason we recommend that all transgender patients make an appointment with a primary care clinician with experience in transgender care so that we can get to know you, review your medical history, and work with you to get you the assistance needed.

Your transgender care team at USC Student Health has specialized training and experience in transgender-related health care inquiries, hormone treatment, counseling, consultations, and referrals:

Medical Team

Patty Pinanong, M.D., Pronouns: she, her, hers

Specialist, transgender care

Debbie Hansen, RN, Pronouns: she, her, hers

Care coordination lead, (direct: 213-740-2180)

Counseling and Mental Health Team

(including providing letters of support for transgender surgery)

All CMH clinicians strive to provide trans-affirming care. Our clinicians with special interest in serving trans and non-binary students are listed below. Students seeking a letter of support for gender-affirming surgery should contact Charlie Padow, LCSW.

Mary Weber, LMFT, Pronouns: she, her, hers

Co-facilitator, Gender Spectrum Support Group

Sarah Schreiber, LCSW, Pronouns: she, her, hers

Charlie Padow, LCSW, Pronouns: he, him, his

Patient Options

Hormone Therapy: If you are interested in hormone therapy, please make an appointment to see Dr. Patty Pinanong, your transgender care medical provider.

Surgery: When you meet with your transgender care provider, you can discuss your concerns about surgery and the process involved.

Medical Services

Your transgender care team at USC Student Health has specialized training and experience in transgender-related health care inquiries, hormone treatment, counseling, consultations, and referrals:

Medical Team

Patty Pinanong, M.D., Pronouns: she, her, hers

Specialist, transgender care

Debbie Hansen, RN, Pronouns: she, her, hers

Care coordination lead, (direct: 213-740-2180)

Counseling and Mental Health Team

(including providing letters of support for transgender surgery)

Mary Weber, LMFT, Pronouns: she, her, hers

Co-facilitator, Gender Spectrum Support Group

Sarah Schreiber, LCSW, Pronouns: she, her, hers

Charlie Padow, LCSW, Pronouns: he, him, his

Patient Options

Hormone Therapy: If you are interested in hormone therapy, please make an appointment to see Dr. Patty Pinanong, your transgender care medical provider.

Surgery: When you meet with your transgender care provider, you can discuss your concerns about surgery and the process involved. See slides below.

https://studenthealth.usc.edu/transgender-care/

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

Identified as “all-gender”.

Identified online on list of all gender-neutral restrooms at USC.

For use by students, staff, and faculty – 2 single restrooms on the 2nd flr

For use by staff – 1 single restroom on the 3rd flr

All 3 are accessible for people with disabilities

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?

There is no formal policy but we encourage all to use restrooms that match their gender identity.

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.)?

Yes

a. If 'yes,' please list course names:

– Sex, Gender, and the Law

– Gender Discrimination

– Employment Discrimination

– Race and Gender in the Law

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:

USC Gould students may apply for a travel stipend to attend the annual Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair.

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.

Other

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

USC is working on training centrally for staff, faculty, and students on anti-racism.

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:

The law school provides academic presentations throughout the year that discuss topics of diversity and inclusion, including Title IX discussions that promote awareness.

The University’s LGBTQ+ Student Center works closely with the Queer & Ally Student Assembly (QuASA) to sponsor several events, programs and services for transgender students. Together, they aim to continually educate the campus community about the transgender community and transgender identity development. https://lgbtrc.usc.edu/trans/

Trainings and workshops during USC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion week are announced – all are welcome to attend.

We have a student organization, OUTlaw that brings together students, faculty, alumni, and the Los Angeles legal community in an effort to raise funds for the USC OUTLaw Scholarship Endowment, which provides annual scholarships that will benefit LGBTQ students and/or students working towards LGBTQ equality through the law.

The law school works closely with the Office of Equity and diversity to ensure that possible discriminatory behavior is investigated and does not occur.

https://eeotix.usc.edu/notice-of-non-discrimination/

https://eeotix.usc.edu/policy/

Lavender Law

Annual Conference

Membership

Join Us!

DEI

Consulting Practice

Education

Series

University of Southern California, Gould School of Law

THE LGBTQ+ BAR