We use LSAC candidate referral service to send targeted emails focusing on outreach opportunities with LGBTQ faculty members, students and student groups.
All admitted applicants are referred to our website which includes information for all of the law school’s affinity groups.
On the application for admission we allow students to self id as LGBTQ community members with a yes or no answer and allow an optional elaboration in open text box.
On the application for admission, students are permitted to provide a “preferred name”.
All faculty postings and hiring are monitored by the UNM Office of Equal Opportunity. This office has the mission “to promote equal access and treatment for all and to promote a safe environment free of discrimination and inequity in accordance with University values and policies and with federal and state equal opportunity and affirmative action statutes and regulations.” In addition, we promote any openings on a variety of listservs, including the New Mexico Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association and its membership.
https://hr.unm.edu/benefits/eligibility
Benefits-Eligible Employees
• Regular staff employees who are full-time or part-time and have an appointment percent of 50% or greater
• Term or contract staff employees who are full-time or part-time, have an appointment percent of 50% or greater, and have a minimum three-month term appointment or contract
• Temporary staff employees who have an appointment percent of 75% or greater and have a minimum three-month appointment are eligible for certain Benefits Plans
• Faculty members who have a minimum three-month contract and an appointment percent of 50% or greater
• Adjunct faculty who have a minimum three-month contract and an appointment percent of 75% or greater are eligible for certain Benefits Plans
• Post-doctoral fellows who have a minimum three-month contract and an appointment percent of 50% or greater are eligible for certain Benefits Plans
Eligible Dependents
• Your legal spouse
• Your domestic partner as defined and outlined in the UAPPM #3790 – Domestic Partners
• Surviving Spouses: Your surviving spouse requires new enrollment forms within 60 calendar days to continue current health benefits:
o Maximum coverage period is 12 months
o See Surviving Dependent Eligibility Criteria
• Your children up to age 26 (coverage ends at the end of the month of your child’s 26th birthday)
• Your children (mentally/physically disabled) over 26, may extend coverage with application/certification within 60 calendar days of turning age 26
If your spouse and/or child has coverage as a UNM employee, he/she may not enroll as your dependent while he/she remains an employee. Likewise, if both you and your spouse/domestic partner work for UNM and are covered as employees, your child(ren) may only be enrolled as dependents under one employee.
If a dependent no longer meets the listed eligibility requirements, you must dis-enroll your ineligible dependent within 60 calendar days from the date your dependent loses eligibility.
http://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3790.html
Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual – Policy 3790: Domestic Partners
Date Originally Issued: 10-01-1994
Revised: 01-01-2009, 03-11-2014, 08-20-2015
Authorized by RPM 6.3 (“Privileges and Benefits”)
Process Owner: Vice President for Human Resources
1. General
The University of New Mexico is committed to providing equal employment and educational opportunities to all individuals. UAP 2720 (“Prohibited Discrimination and Equal Opportunity”) forbids unlawful discrimination based on sexual preference and other protected status. Therefore, the University must provide equal employment benefits to employees with a domestic partner of the same gender. The University has determined that in the interests of fundamental fairness, the definition of domestic partners will apply to all relationships akin to marriage, whether of the same gender or not. All University employees that have a domestic partner as defined in Section 2., herein shall be provided services and benefits on the same basis provided to legal spouses.
Legally married same-sex couples are not subject to this policy and have the same rights and benefits as legally married opposite-sex couples.
2. Domestic Partners
The University defines domestic partners as two (2) individuals who live together in a long-term relationship of indefinite duration. There must be an exclusive mutual commitment similar to that of marriage, in which the partners agree to be financially responsible for each other’s welfare and share financial obligations.
2.1. Qualifying Criteria
Individuals may qualify for and be recognized as domestic partners by the University, if both individuals meet all of the following criteria, sign an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership form (found on HR’s website forms page), and submit any necessary documentation to the Human Resources Service Center.
2.1.1. Both domestic partners must be unmarried.
2.1.2. Domestic partners must have been in a mutually exclusive relationship for the last twelve (12) months, intending to do so indefinitely, and must share the same primary residence.
2.1.3. Domestic partners must meet the age requirements for marriage in New Mexico and be mentally competent to consent to contract.
2.1.4. Domestic partners must not be related by blood to the degree prohibited in a legal marriage in the State of New Mexico.
2.1.5. Domestic partners must be jointly responsible for the common welfare of each other and share financial obligations. An Affidavit of Domestic Partnership form (found on HR’s website forms page) signed to that effect and proof of one (1) of the following must be submitted to the Employee Services Office:
• A joint mortgage or lease.
• Joint ownership of a motor vehicle, joint bank account, or joint credit account.
• Domestic partner named as beneficiary of life insurance.
• Domestic partner named as beneficiary of retirement benefits.
• Domestic partner named as primary beneficiary in the employee’s or student’s will.
• Domestic partner assigned durable property or health care power of attorney.
• Household expenses are shared by both partners.
The University may require proof that those applying for status of domestic partnership meet the above requirements. Providing false information may result in disciplinary action, dismissal, and reimbursement of costs involved in providing benefit coverage.
2.2. Termination of Domestic Partnership
Individuals granted domestic partnership status must report any change in status that terminates the relationship to the Human Resources Service Center, within thirty (30) calendar days, by completing a Termination of Domestic Partnership form (found on HR’s website forms page).
3. Qualifying as a Dependent of Domestic Partners
The child of a domestic partnership qualifies as an eligible dependent if:
• either of the domestic partners is the biological parent of the child,
• either or both partners are adoptive parents of the child, or
• the child has been placed in the domestic partner’s household as part of an adoptive placement.
4. Services and Benefits
Domestic partners and their dependents, as defined in Section 3. herein, shall be granted all and the same services and benefits as those provided to married spouses and their dependents, except where expressly prohibited by law. All University policies that affect employees, spouses and their families also apply to employees, domestic partners, and their families.
5. Taxability
The value of tuition and insurance benefits provided to the domestic partner is considered taxable income to the employee by the Internal Revenue Service and is subject to social security and federal and state income tax withholding.
6. Forms
Affidavit of Domestic Partnership can be found on the HR website forms page.
Termination of Domestic Partnership can be found on the HR website forms page.
Additional comments for #13, if needed:
Yes, from LoboHealth Medical Plan according to page 20 of the current Benefits Booklet: https://hr.unm.edu/docs/benefits/lobohealth-participant-benefit-booklet-fy21.pdf and from Presbyterian Medical Plan according to page 21 of the current Benefits Booklet: http://hr.unm.edu/docs/benefits/presbyterian-participant-benefit-booklet-fy21.pdf
Yes, if they are holding a Teaching Assistantship, Graduate Assistantship, Research Assistantship or a Project Assistantship. All other students receive care through Student Health and Counseling: http://shac.unm.edu/, that offers some counseling services. However, if they qualify under one of the above special categories of student employment, they qualify for the same coverage as a member of the staff or faculty of UNM.
http://hr.unm.edu/docs/benefits/student-health-plan-brochure-2020-2021.pdf
Yes, if they are holding a Teaching Assistantship, Graduate Assistantship, Research Assistantship or a Project Assistantship. All other students receive care through Student Health and Counseling: http://shac.unm.edu/, that offers some counseling services. However, if they qualify under one of the above special categories of student employment, they qualify for the same coverage as a member of the staff or faculty of UNM.
http://hr.unm.edu/docs/benefits/student-health-plan-brochure-2020-2021.pdf
Yes, students can receive counseling through LGBTQ Resource Center . The Mission of the LGBTQ Resource Center is: To provide service to UNM students, faculty, and staff of all gender identities and sexual orientations through support, advocacy, education, and safety.
More general counseling is available through the Student Health and Counseling: http://shac.unm.edu/ , but it is only available to the enrolled student. https://hr.unm.edu/benefits/student-health-plan. In addition, the Law school has a full-time onsite counselor for law students.
There are two gender inclusive restrooms one accessible to students is labeled all gender and one in the law school administrator’s suite is labeled Unisex.
Sexuality and the law and credit for Williams Institute Moot Court competition are offered when student interest and faculty availability allow.
The Lambda club receives funding from the main campus Graduate and Professional Student Association, and from the law school administration when necessary.
Whenever there is interest Students involved in the Williams Moot Court competition are funded.
Yes, optional for all students
Training can be requested from anytime from UNM Division of Equity and Inclusion or the UNM LGBTQ Resource Center.
We collect this information on the application for admission.
The University of New Mexico School of law is constantly working to make sure LGBTQ+ students feel welcome in the classroom, and strive to make sure that students do not have the additional burden of educating other students or staff and faculty members. We have implemented an inclusion, bias, and professionalism presentation led by the Associate Dean of Institutional Culture and Equity. to all incoming first year students this past year. This session identifies contacts on the faculty and staff that students can go to when experiencing issues in the classroom or elsewhere within the law school community. In addition, all gendered language will be removed for the next edition of the student handbook for our school.