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  • Climate Survey 2022

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

    Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center

    March 23, 2022

    Question 1 provided each school with a field to confirm or update their nondiscrimination statement.
     
    b. Does your law school (or larger University, if those policies are binding upon the law school) have a "code of conduct" which prohibits same-sex relationships (including but not limited to physical/sexual activity, marriage or registered domestic partner status, etc.) for employees or students?
    No
    c. If you responded 'Yes' or 'Other' above, please provide the language of the policy

    Additional information for Q1:
    In addition to the Statement of Nondiscrimination, the LSU Law Center has adopted a Diversity and Inclusion Statement that can be found at this URL: https://www.law.lsu.edu/students/diversity/. It reads:
    LSU Law is committed to diversity and inclusion, and we believe the legal profession benefits from varied perspectives and backgrounds and is more creative and effective when its membership reflects the full spectrum of civil society. Our recognition of the value of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession commits us to the responsibility of creating and maintaining an intellectual and social climate at the Law Center that welcomes all and respects the rights, differences, and dignity of others. We strive to bring together diverse ideas, perspectives, and talents within the LSU Law community, and we welcome and support our students, faculty, and staff of different races, genders, gender identities/expressions, sexual orientations, ethnicities, national origins, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, religion, spirituality, disability, family status, experiences, opinions, and ideas. Through respect for differences, our students, faculty, and staff bring a wealth of perspectives and cultural experiences that enhance our classrooms and our ability to achieve academic excellence. We aim to create an environment where every student has the opportunity to reach his or her fullest potential, and we pride ourselves in promoting an inclusive and respectful environment for the exchange of ideas.

    2. Does your law school intentionally seek out LGBTQ+ prospective students?
    Yes
    a. If ‘yes,’ how and where are your efforts directed?

    When the LSU Law Center’s OUTlaw student organization is active, the Admissions staff work with their membership to reach out to prospective students who have self-identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community. The recruiting staff have also attended and participated in recruitment events hosted by LGBTQ+ organizations. Faculty have also participated by contacting potential students who have self- identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

    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

    The Admissions staff shares information about all student organizations with all admitted students, which includes OUTlaw and ethnic minority affinity groups such as the Black Law Students Association (BLSA), the Hispanic Law Students Association (HLSA), and the Society of Asian Lawyers (SAL). Note, however, that as student-led organizations, OUTlaw, BLSA, HLSA, SAL and others may be more active in different academic years depending on leadership changes.

    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

    Although students have the option to include this information in their diversity or personal statements, the admissions software (ACES 2) does not include a specific question that captures this information in a way that the school can pull the data from the application.

    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?
    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:

    The Law Center is committed to employing and including diverse staff/faculty/administrators. The faculty committee charged with faculty recruiting is routinely comprised of a diverse group of faculty members, including diversity gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc. The committee advertises faculty positions widely, including circulation in the AALS faculty recruiting bulletins and postings on numerous blogs and listservs, and includes a statement of diversity in each. Similarly, staff and administrator positions are advertised widely through the LSU Human Resource Management Department and also include statements of equal opportunity.

    The University also requires that faculty search committees include an appointed Diversity Advocate. This person serves as a full member of the search committee, but also ensures all members of the committee take an active role in promoting diversity, recognizing and intervening to address bias throughout the search process. Diversity Advocates are required to complete university-approved professional development on diversity, inclusion, and unconscious bias and, upon training, receive an endorsement by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to serve in this role.

    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?
    38 full-time faculty members, including faculty who also serve as administrators
    10. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ faculty are employed by your law school in total?
    4
    a. With reference to #10, how many LGBTQ+ faculty self-identify as people of color?
    1
    Lesbian?
    Not available
    Gay?
    Not available
    Bisexual/Pansexual?
    Not available
    Transgender / Nonbinary?
    Not available
    Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?
    Not available

    Because the school does not conduct a formal “Self-ID” program, it does not have responsive information to questions 10b. – 10f.

    11. How many staff/administrators (not faculty) are employed by your law school in total?
    46
    Lesbian?
    Not applicable
    Gay?
    Not applicable
    Bisexual / Pansexual?
    Not applicable
    Transgender / Nonbinary?
    Not applicable
    Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?
    Not applicable
    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:

    LSU First Health Plan

    Pelican HRA 1000

    Pelican HSA 775

    Magnolia Local

    Magnolia Local Plus

    Magnolia Open Access

    Vantage Medical Home HMO

    The benefit programs offered through LSU meet all laws and regulations.

    Employee benefits are managed by the LSU Human Resource Management office. LSU has a robust offering of benefit plans, including 7 health plans to choose from. LSU also follows all guidelines set forth by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

    The University treats legally married couples the same regarding health care and other benefits, regardless of the sex or gender of individuals in the legal marriage. Domestic partnerships are not recognized by the State of Louisiana, and do not fall within the eligibility guidelines, again regardless of gender 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?
    Unsure
    a. If 'yes' or ‘unsure,’ please summarize or reproduce your policy here:

    Due to multiple health plans that are offered to LSU faculty and staff, the policies will be sent via email.

    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

    The LSU Student Health Insurance Plan excludes services for fertility/infertility, including procreative counseling, infertility treatment, and cryopreservation of reproductive materials.

    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.):

    Cultural competency is part of all graduate education programs and is part of the codes of ethics followed within their discipline, so counselors do have foundational training and awareness of issues particular to LGBTQ+ patients. Staff are also encouraged to complete Safe Space training offered by LSU if they have never taken it or if it has been many years since they have taken it. Additionally, in 2021, the resident psychiatrist at the LSU Student Health Center worked on a quality improvement study that focused on examining use of gender inclusive language in written charting and educational materials. During the hiring process, the LSU Student Health Center seeks to hire staff and appoint interns who personally have diverse identities themselves. Also, the providers in the medical clinic have worked with students who are undergoing hormone therapy and needed continued care while a student at LSU.

    Law students have access to counseling and therapy services offered to all students of Louisiana State University. All students may access services provided by the Student Health Center, including mental health services and treatment. The Student Health Center employees licensed professionals and graduate students from the field of clinical psychology, clinical social work, professional counseling, and psychiatry. Beginning in May 2019, the Law Center entered into an agreement with the Student Health Center to employ a counselor dedicated to helping law students in particular. This position is currently vacant with an active search underway. When the position is filled, this counselor is housed primarily in the law building for efficient access to law students and sees only law students.

    Additionally, the LSU Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability assists students facing stress, crisis or distress and provides a range of services designed to enhance student well-being, including individual meetings with students, academic support, and referrals to other campus and community resources where applicable.

    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

    LSU does not have a formal gender-inclusive restroom policy. However, the LSU Law Center provides 11 gender-inclusive single-stall restrooms throughout the Law Center Building. These restrooms are identified with signage displaying generic male, female, and handicap images, as well as raised braille lettering. These restrooms are all handicap accessible.

    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
    b. Do all of the gender-segregated restrooms in your law school buildings have signage specifically indicating that people may use the restroom which best reflects their gender?
    No

    As to question #19, LSU does not have a formal gender-segregated restroom policy.

    20. Does your law school have one or more annual LGBTQ+ specific course offerings (e.g., LGBTQ+ Law and Policy, Sexual Orientation Law, Gender Identity Law, etc.)?
    No, we do not offer any course focused on LGBTQ+ legal issues
    21. Does your law school have an active LGBTQ+ law student group?
    Yes
    a. If you answered "yes," does that group receive annual funding from the law school administration?
    The group receives funding from a source other than the administration

    See response to Question #22a. below.

    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 Law Center provides funding, including travel support, to law students in accordance with state and university regulations, and in keeping with its Diversity and Inclusion Statement. Law student organizations are chartered by the Student Bar Association, and currently include the OUTlaw organization. Per the Law Center website, the mission of OUTlaw is to create a climate at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center in which it is safe and comfortable to be openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or an ally (“LGBT”). OUTlaw seeks to create an atmosphere of acceptance and comfort, instill justice, and combat discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The organization exists to provide support and a sense of community while simultaneously engaging in political activism and advocacy. The organization has access to funding for programming, which may include guest speakers, organizational meetings, and travel.

    Of note, however, is that the COVID-related university restrictions on all campus activities and student and employee travel have impacted programming and therefore funds spent on programming since March 2020. This is true for OUTlaw as well as all other student organizations. As of the date of this questionnaire, most COVID-related restrictions have been lifted, and programming should resume.

    As described in Section 3, the Law Center has an active LGBTQ+ student group, OUTlaw, which has been chartered by the Student Bar Association and receives the same level of support provided to all student organizations. The group is student-led; the level of activity varies from one academic year to another, but the group is generally active.

    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

    All employees of the University, including faculty, staff/administrators, and student workers must adhere to the Violence Free Workplace policy (PS-102), which includes not only assault and battery, but also credible threats, defined as “a statement (verbal or written) or action that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the safety of him/herself or that of another person and does, in fact, cause such fear.” By this policy, employees also have a responsibility to report knowledge of inappropriate behavior that may fall under this policy. The University’s Equal Opportunity policy (PS-1) also emphasizes the commitment to provide a workplace free from discrimination and harassment and provides a mechanism for addressing complaints of such. Employees may file a grievance under the University’s grievance policy (PS-80) to seek solutions for issues arising out of working conditions, including issues of discrimination. Employees are also bound by the University’s Sexual Harassment policy (PS-73).

    Law students in particular are bound by the Law Center’s Code of Student Professional Responsibility, which includes prohibitions against behavior (both physical and verbal) that arises from hate/bias/discrimination based on race, gender, gender identity/expression, religious beliefs, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or age.

    The policies described above address sexual orientation and gender/expression where discrimination is defined within the policy. (The grievance policy does not define specific areas of grievance but rather sets forth the mechanism for filing and disposition of grievances.)

    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 employees are required to participate in annual Preventing Sexual Misconduct Training which satisfies the training requirements outlined in both the 2012 Louisiana Senate Concurrent Resolution 107 that requires one hour of sexual harassment training, and in Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, which requires training on sexual misconduct prevention. In this training, employees learn about their role in preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment on college campuses.

    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:

    Beginning with the Fall 2019 semester, the entering first-year class receives implicit bias programming focused on LGBTQ+ issues as part of a professionalism component of mandatory orientation.

    26. Does your school enable and encourage the sharing of personal pronouns (e.g., She/Her, He/Him, They/Them) and honorifics (e.g., Ms., Mx., Mr.) in public communications (email signature blocks, Zoom profiles, nametags, event registration forms, etc.)?
    Other
    a. Does your law school capture students' personal pronouns and honorifics as part of the registration process?
    No

    Although the university does not expressly request that personal pronouns be used in all fora, it does facilitate the use of personal pronouns. The university allows personal pronouns to be used in official LSU email signatures, accepts personal pronouns for inclusion on official LSU business cards, and allows personal pronouns to be added to official LSU nametags. As a result, the practice is widespread within at least electronic communication such as email signatures and Zoom profiles.

    The current student information system used by LSU does not provide a means to collect personal pronouns or to self-select gender identity. This system – a ‘homegrown’ mainframe system – is outdated by decades, and the university is in the process of migrating to a more robust student information system. The ability to designate personal pronouns and to self-select gender identity have been designated as priority items for the new system.

    If a student communicates a preference regarding personal pronouns to a university employee (generally staff in the Law Registrar’s Office), that information is shared with faculty members, and faculty members are expected to use those preferences in the classroom.

    27. 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 LSU Law Center diligently works to be a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff in a number of ways. Many law staff and faculty have participated in Safe Space trainings that educate on the particular needs and perspectives of LGBTQ+ students and mark their offices with Safe Space stickers for easy identification. The Law Library assembles a display featuring important moments in LGBTQ+ history during Gay History Month each year. In addition, the OUTlaw student organization sponsors events and speakers on topics of interest for LGBTQ+ students throughout the typical school year. In the past, those events have ranged from national experts speaking on major law related topics impacting the LGBTQ+ community to local LGBTQ+ attorneys speaking to the realities of being Out on the job market and at work.

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