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Climate Survey 2022

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

University of Virginia School of Law

May 2, 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?

Our admissions team seeks to recruit and enroll students who enrich the diversity of our institution across a variety of factors.

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
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:

The Law School’s admission application asks students to report their preferred first name as well as their full name. The Law School has an online student directory that allows enrolled students to record videos and their full names, their preferred first names, and their preferred forms of address in more formal settings. Students may also update their preferred names and gender markers on file with the University, and they may update their preferred name in Law School computing systems.

b. If 'yes,' how many students are currently enrolled at your law school in total?:
Answer left blank.
c. If 'yes,' how many self-identified LGBTQ+ students are currently enrolled at your law school, in total?:
Answer left blank.
d. If 'yes,' how many of your currently enrolled LGBTQ+ students also self-identify as people of color?
Answer left blank.
Lesbian?
Answer left blank.
Gay?
Answer left blank.
Bisexual/ Pansexual?
Answer left blank.
Transgender / Nonbinary?
Answer left blank.
Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?
Answer left blank.
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 School is committed to employing a diverse faculty and staff. Faculty and staff positions are advertised widely, including the University’s human resources website and the Law School’s website; postings may appear in places such as the AALS faculty recruiting bulletin, the Chronicle for Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, Indeed, LinkedIn, and/or with publications maintained by affinity group organizations. We aim to have diverse search committees and hiring officials, and search committee members must complete equity training.

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?
The Law School does not collect this data.
10. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ faculty are employed by your law school in total?
The Law School does not collect this data.
a. With reference to #10, how many LGBTQ+ faculty self-identify as people of color?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Lesbian?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Gay?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Bisexual/Pansexual?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Transgender / Nonbinary?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?
The Law School does not collect this data.
11. How many staff/administrators (not faculty) are employed by your law school in total?
The Law School does not collect this data.
12. How many self-identified LGBTQ+ staff/administrators are employed by your law school in total?
The Law School does not collect this data.
a. With reference to #12, how many LGBTQ+ staff/administrators self-identify as people of color?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Lesbian?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Gay?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Bisexual / Pansexual?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Transgender / Nonbinary?
The Law School does not collect this data.
Queer or member of gender/sexual orientation minority group?
The Law School does not collect this data.
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:

Aetna Clinical Policy Bulletin- Clinical Criteria for Infertility

http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/300_399/0327.html#:~:text=For%20purposes%20of%20this%20entire,and%20conditions%20of%20the%20plan.

UVA Health Plan Summary Plan Description:

https://hr.virginia.edu/sites/default/files/IMPACT%20COE/Benefits/UVA-Medical-Plan-2021-SPD-FINAL-clickable.pdf

 

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:

Aetna Clinical Policy Bulletin- Clinical Criteria for Gender Affirming Surgery:

http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/600_699/0615.html

UVA Health Plan Summary Plan Description:

https://hr.virginia.edu/sites/default/files/IMPACT%20COE/Benefits/UVA-Medical-Plan-2021-SPD-FINAL-clickable.pdf

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?
Yes
a. If yes, are those student benefits available on equal terms to students in same-sex marital/domestic partnership relationships as they are to students in different- sex marital/domestic partnership relationships?
Yes
b. If you answered yes to #15, are those student benefit plans inclusive of the specific needs of LGBTQ+ students (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 students of all genders, etc.)?
Yes
c. If you answered yes to #15a AND/OR if you answered yes or unsure to #15b, please summarize or reproduce your policy here

Law students are eligible to enroll in the University’s student health plan, but may also elect to have health insurance through other providers. Information on the University’s student health plan, including information for adding a spouse or dependents, is available here:

https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu/aetna-student-health-plan.

Law students may seek care at the University Student Health and Wellness (SHW) center. SHW offers a range of medical and counseling services to students and has multidisciplinary treatment teams, including one for transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse students. SHW offers reproductive health services to all students, including those who are transgender and gender diverse. These services include, but are not limited to, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, contraception, examinations of reproductive organs for prevention or active issues, and breast or chest exams. SHW is committed to removing barriers to care for LGBTQ+ patients, and they encourage LBGTQ+ students to access their services. SHW follows the: • UCSF Center of Excellence for Transgender Health Guidelines • World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care, and • Endocrine Society Guidelines Students contemplating medical transition can meet with providers to discuss resources, obtain education and resources about the transition process, and participate in counseling and support meetings. If needed, providers can help coordinate referrals, as well as provide assistance with insurance questions. Medical providers are also able to address management of hormone therapy and medications.

More information on SHW is available here:

https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu/

More information on SWH’s services and resources for LGTBQ students is available here:

https://lgbtq.virginia.edu/

More information on SHW’s services and resources for transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse students is available here:

https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu/gender-affirming-care

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.):

The Law School has an arrangement with SHW to employ a licensed clinical psychologist dedicated to helping law students. She also holds a J.D. and is a licensed attorney who practiced for eight years before becoming a psychologist. Her office is housed primarily at the Law School for ease of access. She is available for consultation for students, for faculty and staff consultations (for concerns about students), assessments, brief individual therapy, referrals, and outreach activities. She is also a confidential employee under Title IX.

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

The Law School has single occupancy restrooms that are accessible to students. The restrooms are designated “All Gender”; they are also noted on our building map.

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
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:

A searchable list of current courses is available here:

https://www.law.virginia.edu/courses/advanced-search

A list of courses, by concentration, offered in current and past two academic years is available here:

https://www.law.virginia.edu/academics/concentrations

In addition to our course offerings, before the pandemic, the Law School hosted community name change and gender marker clinics in which area attorneys and UVA law students helped clients with name change applications, petitions for gender marker changes, birth certificate corrections, etc. and related legal questions. Law students who volunteered their time could count their hours as pro bono for purposes of the Law School’s Pro Bono Challenge.

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
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 School has provided funding for students to attend the LGBT Bar’s Lavender Law Annual 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

Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence:

https://uvapolicy.virginia.edu/policy/HRM-041

Policy on Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment:

https://uvapolicy.virginia.edu/policy/HRM-009

Policy on Preventing and Addressing Retaliation:

https://uvapolicy.virginia.edu/policy/hrm-010

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

University faculty and staff must complete Title IX training and Preventing and Addressing Discrimination, Harassment, & Retaliation training every two years.

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 students
Other
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?
Yes
b. If your law school captures students' personal pronouns and honorifics, is that information consistently shared with professors on class rosters with an expectation that it will be used in the classroom?
Yes
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 Law School works hard to be a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all students, faculty, and staff. Our Diversity, Equity, and Belonging Committee aims to provide all members of our community with an opportunity to succeed, to sustain a diverse community, and to cultivate a sense of belonging. To achieve these goals and create culturally competent citizens and lawyers, the committee works to remove barriers to participation, provide academic and professional support, and encourage the inclusion of relevant course offerings. For more information, see https://www.law.virginia.edu/diversity.