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  • Climate Survey 2022

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

    Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law

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

    NSU College of Law is dedicated to creating, nurturing, and maintaining a diverse and inclusive law school community. The law school consistently works to recruiting a diverse student body and work force, including but not limited to members of the LGBTQ+ community. Prospective students can self-identify through the LSAC Application Portal. Faculty and staff can self-identify if they feel comfortable doing so. Also, LQBTQ+ students can join or participate in Lamba Law Society in addition to a large and diverse cohort of student organizations at NSU Law. NSU Law endeavors to offer a welcoming and engaging environment for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff. However, NSU Law can do a better job at reaching out to current and future law students to ensure that we are adequately addressing their issues and concerns. Finally, NSU Law is located in South Florida in an area where there is a significant and active LGBTQ+ community. This environment provides support and resources for students who wish to become engaged in political and legal issues relevant to 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?
    No
    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

    Whether to allow students the ability to self-identify as LGBTQ+ in the admissions process has been and is currently a topic of discussion within NSU Law. The principal concern with creating a self-identifying process has been whether students will feel comfortable self-identifying. NSU Law would not want to create a situation where students are concerned about self-identifying for fear that they will be singled out or targeted for having done so. However, we also understand that there are legitimate reasons students may want to self-identify as LGBTQ+. This discussion is ongoing, and we continue to explore whether we should implement a self-identification process in the future. This process must allow students to self-identify in a manner that is safe, comfortable, and affirming.

    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

    During the admissions process, students may use their preferred names. After enrollment, the student’s given name will be used unless the student has completed an official name change in court and submits the supporting documents for the name change. To complete this process, a student must complete a Data Change Form and submit it to the Office of the University Registrar.

    6. Does your law school provide any annual scholarships specifically for LGBTQ+ students?
    No

    NSU College of Law provides a variety of scholarship opportunities from outside organizations. Many such opportunities are from specific bar associations or other community associations focused on diversity in the legal profession.

    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:

    According to its Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity policy, NSU undertakes affirmative action by employing qualified members of minority groups and ensuring the absence of discriminatory hiring or employment practices. In line with this policy, all employees will be provided an equal opportunity to be considered for promotion or transfer regardless of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation or belief, national origin, veteran status, or marital status – if they satisfy the education (or equivalent) and experience requirements for the position. NSU Law reaffirms its commitment to diversity in its recruitment process beginning with clear, affirmative statements in job postings for faculty. This year, the Appointments Committee members attended a webinar on enhancing diversity in the recruitment process. In addition, NSU Law reaches out to affinity bar organizations to seek diverse applicants. Furthermore, NSU Law monitors the diversity of its interview candidates to make sure there is an inclusive hiring process.

    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

    The law school uses a voluntary, anonymous survey to allow staff/faculty/administrator to confidentially identify their gender identity and sexual orientation.

    9. How many faculty (not staff/administrators) are employed by your law school in total?
    47
    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?
    2
    Lesbian?
    2
    Gay?
    1
    Bisexual/Pansexual?
    1
    11. How many staff/administrators (not faculty) are employed by your law school in total?
    51
    12. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ staff/administrators are employed by your law school in total?
    5
    a. With reference to #12, how many LGBTQ+ staff/administrators self-identify as people of color?
    2
    Gay?
    2
    Bisexual / Pansexual?
    3
    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:

    NSU’s health benefits do not cover assisted reproductive benefits but do cover mammograms, prostate exams, hysterectomies, and other preventative care.

    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:

    Eligibility For Transgender or Gender Reassignment Surgery
    BCBS Florida Gender Affirmation Surgery Information

    Optum RX – Prescription Prior Authorization Request Forms
    Prescription – Androgens
    Prescription – Testosterone

    Aetna Healthwise® Knowledgebase
    Aetna’s Gender Identity Issues, Getting Support
    Aetna’s Gender Dysphoria

    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
    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:

    Answers to Your Questions about Transgender People, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression

    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.):

    The NSU Henderson Counseling Services includes the following statement in their Mission Statement: “The center staff will provide students with an opportunity to develop personal insight, identify and solve problems, and implement positive strategies to better manage their lives both academically and personally. They will be sensitive to issues of cultural diversity including but not limited to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality and religion.” The Registration Portal for new patients includes the following categories under Gender: Female; Transgender (FTM), Genderqueer, Male, Transgender (MTF), Choose not to disclose, Other and Unknown. The Portal also includes the following categories under sexual orientation: Straight or Heterosexual; Bisexual; Lesbian, gay or homosexual; Choose not to disclose; Other; and Unknown. These categories and the clinical staff bios show that this counseling service works with identity issues and transitions.

    In addition, the student health insurance program offered through UnitedHealthCare StudentResources (UHCSR) provides access to many resources for the LGBTQ+ Community through its Living Well Portal.

    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

    Two separate single restrooms located in our second-floor faculty wing, also open for students are labelled with unisex signage and are available for all to use. Here is a picture of the sign and the door signs have been changed in the last year to mirror it.

    Photos of Gender-Neutral 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?
    Yes
    a. If "yes," please provide the language of your school's restroom use policy and details on where this policy may be found by the law school community:

    Nova Southeastern University undergraduate campus has gender neutral and inclusive restrooms. A gender-neutral restroom has been designated in the College of Law building and signage to notify the community of this restroom has been installed in the last year. The law school maintains gender-segregated restrooms in part because there is an antiquated Florida Plumbing Code (Section 403) that requires very specific ratios of male and female bathroom fixtures in public accommodations. This code also regulates gender neutral bathrooms. However, there is no restroom use policy in place at Nova Southeastern University.

    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
    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, but significant LGBTQ+ content is included in other courses (not including basic law school required courses such as Constitutional Law)
    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:

    Advanced Clinic and Field Placement – N/A, Caribbean Law Seminar – 11%, Children and Families Clinic – 10%, Civil Field Placement Clinic – 14%, Constitutional Law I – 8-10% (Depending on the professor), Constitutional Law II – 6-10% (Depending on the professor), Current Constitutional Issues Seminar — 3%, Family Law 10-30% (Depending on the professor), Health Policy and Bioethics – 10-15 %, Immigration, Nationality, and Refugee Law – N/A

    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?
    Yes

    The Lambda Law Society is the active law student organization that is supported by both the College of Law administration and the University Student Affairs Office who manages funding of the student organizations. The Lambda Law Society mission statement is as follows:

    “Lambda Law Society furthers awareness of legal and social rights of people who are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgendered and promotes the highest standards of professional ethics and equality in the law school community. We seek to create an environment that is open and hospitable for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgendered students and welcome all students committed to promoting equality and diversity within the legal profession.”

    Lambda Law Society is funded through the Student Bar Association at the College of Law. The organization promotes learning and networking opportunities such as “Out and About,” an event sponsored by the Kozak Minority Mentoring Foundation and community partners. Lambda Law Society has a distribution group to share information about events and opportunities for LGBTQ + law students and lawyers. Organizations may also seek a grant from the University to attend focused learning programs workshops.

     

    22. Does your law school provide funding, including travel support, for LGBTQ+ students to participate in LGBTQ+-focused learning and/or career services opportunities?
    No
    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

    The University Student Handbook includes the Code of Conduct, which has the following language:

    “Any code of student conduct violation that manifests evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator’s bias against the victim may be considered a hate-based conduct violation. The categories of bias include the victim’s actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, homeless status, or advanced age. Any student found to have committed a hate-based conduct violation may be subject to disciplinary action up to, and including, dismissal from NSU.”

    It also provides:

    “Gender-Based Harassment is unwelcome conduct of a nonsexual nature based on a person’s actual or perceived gender, gender identity, gender express, nonconformity with gender stereotypes, or sexual orientation.”

    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

    NSU requires Biennial mandatory training for all employees’ centers on Preventing Discrimination and Harassment. This training examines the types of workplace conduct that are considered unlawful discrimination and harassment.

    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, mandatory for all faculty/staff/administrators

    NSU Core eight core values are Academic Excellence; Student Centered, Integrity, Innovation, Opportunity, Scholarship/Research, Diversity and Community. The University promotes and reinforces those values with its Living the Values employee recognition program. The Living the Values program encourages employees to recognize colleagues’ employees who are living NSU’s eight core values. Additionally, the program guides employees to a clear understanding of what the core values are and how they each contribute to the achievement of NSU’s Vision.

    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.)?
    People are allowed to use them but the school doesn't facilitate or request it
    a. Does your law school capture students' personal pronouns and honorifics as part of the registration process?
    No

    NSU Law is in the process of developing a process to capture personal pronoun information, most likely in email communications and will explore the best ways to notify faculty about student pronoun and name preferences.

    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:

    As part of Nova Southeastern University’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and in direct collaboration with the Office of the President, the university has created the Belonging, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (BEDI) Advisory Council, a university-wide effort that aims to amplify NSU’s efforts toward diversity and inclusion across all campuses and the greater NSU community.

    With the following mission statement: “We will guide Nova Southeastern University toward inclusive excellence by cultivating and supporting the ongoing development and implementation of processes, procedures, and programs that promote greater belonging, equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout all aspects of the university, so that all members of NSU can be empowered to pursue their full potential and do their very best work,” the BEDI Advisory Council is comprised of DEI leaders from across the various NSU colleges and administrative units.

    Primary Sidebar

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