Hexter

UC “is showing its commitment to being a leader in LGBT issues,” Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter said in response to President Janet Napolitano’s announcement June 3 that she will appoint a president’s advisory group on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

She made the announcement just three days after receiving a report from a systemwide task force for which Hexter served as co-chair. “The task force definitely feels we were heard,” Hexter said.

The task force — officially the UC Task Force and Implementation Team on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Climate and Inclusion — included one other UC Davis delegate: Sheri Atkinson, executive director of the Student Community Center and former director of the LGBTQI Resource Center.

The task force, which met for two years, made eight recommendations and called for a permanent, systemwide group to advise the president on LGBT issues. She quickly agreed to forming such a group to advise her on how best to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for LGBT students, faculty and staff, to advance their well-being in the UC community.

Napolitano said she will respond to the other recommendations at a later date. Here they are:

• Allow voluntary collection of data on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression for students, faculty and staff.
• Adjust student record systems to enable students to self-identify with a preferred name. Read about UC Davis’ preferred name service.
• Develop and implement a systemwide gender-inclusive restroom policy.
• Convene a subcommittee on bisexual community issues.
• Establish an LGBT resource center at UC Merced and have each campus dedicate funding for an LGBT cultural competency specialist who provides awareness training to students, faculty and staff.
• Have each campus dedicate funding and infrastructure to support hiring a full-time counselor to provide psychological, education and prevention services to LGBT students.
• Enhance academic initiatives on gender and sexuality.
• Implement a tax equalization program for employees in domestic partnerships who receive health benefits through UC’s health and wellness plans.

“The task force recommendations are a concrete next step to advance UC’s efforts to create more welcoming and inclusive campus environments for members of the LGBT community,” said the panel’s other co-chair, Barbara J. French, UC San Francisco vice chancellor of Strategic Communications and University Relations.

The UC Office of the President assembled the task force in May 2012 as part of efforts to enhance campus climate. The task force included representatives from the 10 UC campuses, the Office of the President and the community. Campus participants include undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, staff and LGBT resource center directors.

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