Pacific's Commitment to Transgender Students, Faculty and Staff
February 24, 2017
To the University Community:
On Wednesday, the federal departments of Education and Justice issued official correspondence to education institutions that retracted their guidance from 2015 and 2016 regarding transgender students' access to public school facilities. The earlier guidance had established that transgender students have the right to use restrooms and locker rooms that match the gender with which they identify, rather than the sex they were assigned at birth, among other protections. The federal government's correspondence calls for further legal analysis of these issues. At this time, there are no details on the timeline or structure of that process.
Despite the withdrawal of the federal guidance, University of the Pacific reaffirms its commitment to a safe, equitable and supportive educational environment, which is also supported by California law. Pacific remains committed to the rights of transgender and non-binary students, faculty and staff, and will continue to move forward in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. Ongoing work includes mapping gender-inclusive restrooms, providing Safe Space training across our campuses, incorporating inclusive signage, and easing the name-change process for student records.
There are a number of resources (listed below) for more information, and/or for those impacted by gender-based harassment, discrimination and discriminatory harassment. Should you witness or experience such misconduct, you should report the incident immediately.
Sincerely,
Patrick K. Day, Vice President for Student Life
Reports can be made to:
University of the Pacific Public Safety/ Police:
Stockton: 209.946.2537
Sacramento: 916.739.7200
San Francisco: 415.929.6411
Pacific Title IX Coordinator: 209.946.7770
Pacific Bias Response Team: http://go.pacific.edu/BiasReport
For support:
University of the Pacific Student Victim Advocate: 209.403.0250
Pacific Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): 209.946.2315, #2
Employee Assistance Program: 877.595.5281
Pacific Pride Resource Center: 209.946.2011