UA's Commitment to a Safe Working and Learning Environment

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UA's Commitment to a Safe Working and Learning Environment

To: Members of the University Community

From:

Mary Beth Tucker, Assistant Vice President for Equity Compliance

Subject: UA's Commitment to a Safe Working and Learning Environment

Date: February 23, 2017

On Wednesday, February 22, 2017, the Department of Justice and the Department of Education rescinded federal guidelines specifying that transgender students have the right to use school restrooms that match their gender identity.

The University of Arizona has a long-held commitment to maintaining a safe working and learning environment for all members of our community, and that commitment has not changed. Central to the University's core values is respect and appreciation for the diversity inherent in our campus community. We strive to ensure that everyone who comes to our campus feels safe, respected and supported. Consistent with the University's Nondiscrimination and Anti-harassment Policy that prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of gender identity, the University supports the option of individuals to use the restroom that meets their individual needs or in which they feel safest.

To that end, it is important to reiterate the University of Arizona’s Statement on Restroom Access. The statement is available in full below, as well as on the Office of Institutional Equity's website: http://equity.arizona.edu/information/statements/restroom-access.

STATEMENT ON RESTROOM ACCESS

The University of Arizona strives to create and sustain a campus environment that supports and values all members of our community, including visitors. One aspect of creating a comfortable environment is providing safe, accessible, and convenient restroom facilities. Many people may experience difficulty and inconvenience when required to use gender-specific restrooms. Parents with children of a different gender are not able to accompany them into a gender-specific restroom and the same holds true for others with attendants/caregivers of a different gender. Additionally, transgender individuals may be subject to harassment or violence when using male- or female-specific restrooms. Consequently, this statement has been developed to declare the University's commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive campus environment.

In keeping with the University's policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of gender identity, the University allows individuals to use the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity. In addition, to address restroom facility access issues not related to gender identity such as parents and attendants/caregivers as described above, the University is committed to designating and maintaining a gender-neutral restroom in as many of its buildings as reasonably feasible. In some instances a designated gender-neutral restroom may contain multiple stalls. Additionally, the University is committed to include at least one gender-neutral restroom in new buildings constructed on campus to the extent feasible.

Individuals with questions, requests, or concerns regarding restroom access are encouraged to contact the University's Office of Institutional Equity at:

888 N. Euclid Ave, Room 113
Tucson, AZ 85721-0158
Phone: (520) 621-9449
Email: equity@email.arizona.edu
equity.arizona.edu

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