We recruit LGBTQ+ prospective students through our holistic diversity pipeline initiatives which focus on students from underrepresented backgrounds from within the legal profession, across all communities. We use a broad approach toward diversity, which includes LGBTQ+ prospective students, as they are underrepresented in law. However we do not have LGBTQ+ “only” focused recruiting programming.
We do not have an admissions packet as this question describes. We engage in LGBTQ+ mentorship outreach for admitted students, specifically they receive outreach from an LGBTQ+ identified professor of law and from our student organization, PRIDE Law.
We ask a demographics question in our admission application:
“As a University that supports diversity, we include a voluntary question on sexual orientation. If you choose to self identify as a member of the LGBTQ community, you consent to our sharing that information with current students or alumni who are members of the LGBTQ community and who assist in the recruitment of a diverse student body. Do you wish to identify yourself as a member of the LGBTQ community?”
Students may complete a “preferred name” form which allows them to indicate their name-in-use.
We currently offer two scholarships available only to LGBTQ+ students at USD School of Law.
Word of mouth and outreach to affinity organizations
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The medical plans sponsored by USD are fully-insured through Cigna and Kaiser Permanente and the policies for such plans are issued in the State of California. As such, the USD medical plans comply with all of the various coverage mandates required of plans that are fully-insured and sitused out of California.
The medical plans sponsored by USD are fully-insured through Cigna and Kaiser Permanente and the policies for such plans are issued in the State of California. As such, the USD medical plans comply with all of the various coverage mandates required of plans that are fully-insured and sitused out of California.
I do not have information about question 15 for University of San Diego and there was no option for “unsure”.
I do not have information about question 16 for University of San Diego
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There are four single-user all gender bathrooms that are accessible for people with disabilities in the School of Law: one inside the Legal Research Center (library); one inside Guadalupe Hall; and two inside Warren Hall (these are only accessible to faculty and staff. Inside our main School of Law building, Warren Hall, there are two multi-user bathrooms that are presently being converted to all-gender restrooms that will have bolts on the main door that permits them to be used as single-user restrooms (work to be completed Spring 2022). In addition, we have inclusive language posted on the door of every multi-user bathroom that states “This is an inclusive campus. We welcome you to use any restroom that best aligns with your gender identity.” This language was drafted in partnership with LGBTQ+ student leaders.
We have inclusive language posted on the door of every multi-user bathroom that states “This is an inclusive campus. We welcome you to use any restroom that best aligns with your gender identity.” This language was drafted in partnership with LGBTQ+ student leaders.
We have inclusive language posted on the door of every multi-user bathroom that states “This is an inclusive campus. We welcome you to use any restroom that best aligns with your gender identity.” This language was drafted in partnership with LGBTQ+ student leaders.
Gender Discrimination Law
Our main LGBTQ+ law student group is Pride Law. They have been active at USD for many years. More recently we have added the Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic (also known as the Trans Clinic) student organization. This particular student group serves the needs of trans and nonbinary individuals in California by assisting participants with the process of obtaining name and/or gender-marker changes through the California court system.
We provide opportunities for Supplemental Funding and Diversity Funding to all law student organizations, including Pride Law and the Name and Gender-Marker Change Clinic. Funding is awarded on an as-needed basis (as opposed to static annual funding) and is typically met at 100% of the request. Pride Law has used this funding to host educational panels and student-alumni networking lunches. The Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic administrative costs are paid by the law school administration. Law student organizations can also receive funding from the Student Bar Association.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we regularly sent USD law students to Lavender Law Conference & Career Fair. The law school administration has funded flight, lodging, and registration for students who wished to attend this conference. For many years, the law school has also sponsored a table or tickets at the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association Annual Dinner. Several of the seats purchased are offered to students to attend.
The School of Law uses the University’s hate/bias incident policy and reporting processes, available here https://www.sandiego.edu/safety/reporting/.
Our School of Law completes the University’s mandatory training in this area, which includes same-sex harassment, transgender/nonbinary people, and completes this on an annual basis.
The Office of Admissions does not capture personal pronouns as part of the application process. However, the JD and Transfer Student application does include a “Prefix” section with the honorifics for Doctor, Mister, and Miss. In previous years, Law Student Affairs has captured information about preferred pronouns during orientation, however this is not systematically captured by the University, nor is this information systematically shared with faculty at present.
We organize co-curricular programming and support for LGBTQ+ students. For example, we invite guest speakers who are experts on LGBTQ+ rights to talk to students. The administration purchases tickets to support the local LGBTQ+ bar association, and offers free tickets to students, faculty and staff who self-identify as LGBTQ+. This year, we established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force that is co-chaired with a professor who self-identifies as LGBTQ+, and is considering the intersectional experiences of members of our law school community to inform improvements to policy, practices and programs.