Minutes 10-25-03
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October 25, 2003 Minutes

UC Irvine

Attendees:

UC Berkeley: Shawn DeMille; Matthew Royal
UC Davis: Maureen Gatt
UC Irvine: Elisabeth Aulwurm; Gabe Ayala; Chris Browning; Charmaine Chan; Sigifredo Diaz; Kathy Eiler; Michael Houston; Nolan Kubota; Christina Polovina; Sara Sheikh; Dustin Utt; Pat Walsh
UC Los Angeles: Kian Boloori; Bryan Rone
UC Riverside: Kristina Avila; Janean Hinrichs; Teri Joaquin; Donovan Jones; Zach Ledbetter; F. Curtis Lubbe; Christina Marable; Matthew Nelson; Bryon Nuttall; Eric Peterson; Tatiana Svolopoulos; Nancy Jean Tubbs; Jonathan Washington; William Wescott; Jocelyn Wong; Frank Woo
UC San Diego: Max Harrington; Colin Schwartz
UC San Francisco: Shane Snowdon
UC Santa Barbara: Rebecca Chapman; Kylan deVries; Erin Pullin; Kyle Richards
UCOP: Emily Nalven
Not present: UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz, LANL, LBNL, LLNL,
Guest: Judith Boyette, Associate Vice President

Meeting was called to order at 10:05am

Shane Snowdon announced that we would be joined by Judy Boyette in the afternoon. Shane nominated Judy for a national LGBT workplace award for her work on LGBT issues at UC (“Out & Equal Champion Award”). Judy received the award at the Gala Dinner in Minneapolis two weeks ago (October 3).

Introductions

Approval of Minutes

Minutes from 04/2003 meeting were discussed. Previously made available on the UCLGBTIA website (www.uclgbtia.org). Moved by Shawn DeMille and seconded by Emily Nalven to approve without further revision.

Secretary Elections

Kyle Richards will be taking a leave of absence from his responsibilities as UCLGBTIA Secretary while he is away on Semester at Sea (January-April 2004). Eric Peterson (UCR) agreed to serve as Acting Secretary for the Winter Quarter Conference and SCOM at UCSD. Kyle will resume as Secretary at the Spring ’04 meeting, tentatively scheduled for May at UCSF.

Gender-Free Restrooms

Erin Pullin (UCSB) brought information from their student group PISSAR (People in Search of Safe and Accessible Restrooms). Erin reported that students from PISSAR had submitted an article for publication in an upcoming book.

As a follow up to the Spring ’03 SCOM, we discussed the importance of mandating gender-free restrooms in future buildings by including them into campus planning standards. The campus architect for each campus is the person who sets the standards, within certain guidelines that are established by OP. We agreed that there should be a coordinated effort by UCLGBTIA to contact the campus architects regarding this concern. In addition, Pat Walsh (UCI) suggested that a workshop be planned for the upcoming conference in February.

Action: Nancy Tubbs (UCR) will include information about the issue onto our website. She will be in touch with PISSAR from UCSB.
Action: Letter to Campus Architects regarding gender-free bathrooms for new buildings (Nancy Tubbs will draft).
Action: Letter to facilities management encouraging them to retrofit current restrooms to include gender-free (Nancy Tubbs will draft).
Action: Maureen Gatt (UCD) will share what they have done on the listserv.

UCSD Conference Update

Max Harrington and Colin Schwartz presented an update of the February conference: “Through the Looking Glass”. They shared a tentative schedule of the conference with the group.

Registration will begin on Friday from 5-7pm. It was suggested that our quarterly Steering Committee Meeting (SCOM) also be scheduled concurrently, with a volunteer devoted to registering participants of the SCOM.

Questions were posed regarding under-21 options for evening activities on Friday and Saturday nights.

Jocelyn Wong (UCR) suggested that committee organizers make efforts to gain co-sponsorship from the UC Students Association (UCSA). They will be meeting November 15-16 at UCB. This is important not only monetarily in terms of financial sponsorship, but it is also a good idea to work collaboratively with this group.

A suggestion was made to alter the budget to include complimentary registrations for workshop presenters as well as gifts for major presenters.

Registration for the conference will be available online (web-based, with checks being sent in separately) or can be printed as a pdf and sent in the mail.

Program proposal deadline is set for November 21 (may be pushed back).
Early registration deadline is set for February 13, 2004.

Issues to Discuss with Judy Boyette

Shane Snowden (UCSF) brought up 4 specific issues that we would like to bring up with Judy Boyette when she joins us later this afternoon:

  • Adding Gender Identity to UC non-discrimination policy. We need to clarify how the non-discrimination policy is changed (UCOP discretion? Is a Regents vote required?)
  • Employee retirement benefits—equity between DPs and heterosexual spouses.
  • In-state tuition for DPs of UC students. Currently, out-of-state heterosexual spouses are eligible for in-state tuition, while domestic partners are not. UC Student Regent Matt Murray has written a letter to President Atkinson and the UCSA has passed a resolution in support changing this.
  • Transgender (SRS) benefits for UC employees. Employee health plans currently cover a range of therapy and hormone treatments, but fall short of covering sexual reassignment surgery (SRS).

UC Davis Discrimination Case

Officer Chang was fired from his position. He was within 97% of his probationary time. He allegedly was let go because of a 4-month old reckless driving incident. He is widely distributing information to various listservs and the University community that he believes he was let go because he is Asian-American and also gay.

We discussed this situation as a personnel issue. Because it is a personnel issue, the details of the incident are kept confidential. We acknowledged that there are always more sides to the situation, and we do not know the complete details of the case.

However, this case continues to bring up the issues around campus climate concerns and our struggle for equality.

Action: We will draft a letter to the UCD Police (cc: UCOP) indicating our awareness of this concern, and that we will continue to monitor this situation and find ways that we can be supportive.

Judy Boyette, Associate Vice President, University of California

GENDER IDENTITY NON-DISCRIMINATION

OP has circulated to the campus Diversity/EEO offices, for official comment, a proposal to add “gender identity” to UC’s non-discrimination statement. Barring negative feedback, which is not expected (the proposal follows newly enacted state law AB 196, and 30+ other colleges and universities have added “gender identity” to their non-discrimination policies), the implementation date will be January 1, 2004.

Action: You may want to contact your campus EEO/Diversity office to indicate your strong support for this ground-breaking and important proposal.

EXPANSION OF TRANSGENDER HEALTH BENEFITS

AVP Boyette indicated that OP is continuing to look into expanding the transgender health benefits offered to employees (student health benefits are determined at the campus level) to include surgery and related costs. We are planning a meeting with trans employees and relevant OP staff so that, when bids are solicited from UC’s insurers for this expanded coverage beginning in January, the OP staff will have met affected employees and be up-to-speed on their needs and concerns.

Action: In addition to arranging the meeting, we will need to continue to press for expanded coverage, which would add only very, very slightly to employee health costs.

EQUALIZATION OF BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES WHO RETIRED BEFORE JULY 1, 2002

As you may remember, the equalization of retirement benefits approved by the Regents last year did not affect employees with DPs who retired prior to July 1, 2002, so they continue to have their premiums reduced more than married retirees if they wish to provide continuation benefits for their DPs. This glaring inequity for people who are on fixed incomes, most of whom never enjoyed DP benefits while working for UC, is something we really need to change. AVP Boyette indicated that the passage of AB 205, which further narrows the gap between DPs and married couples, may be helpful in changing the situation.

Action: We and affected retirees will need to continue to press OP on this matter—details on this to come.

TUITION INEQUITIES FOR DPs VS. SPOUSES

Regents Standing Order 110.2 waives nonresident tuition for faculty spouses, waives tuition for spouses of police and firefighters killed on duty, waives fees for spouses of National Guard members killed or disabled on duty, and grants “financial independence” to married students, making it easier for them to claim in-state residency. Needless to say, no such provisions are made for DPs, as opposed to spouses—another glaring inequity. This matter does not fall within AVP Boyette’s area, but she suggested we continue to be in close touch with Academic Affairs Provost Jud King and budget analyst Pat Romero at OP. The costs involved would be trivial, and the inequity is completely unacceptable.

Action: Student Regent Matt Murray was in touch with then-Pres. Atkinson and Provost King about this situation, and we will need to join him in contacting OP about taking to the Regents an amendment to their Standing Order that would provide equal treatment to DPs, following newly enacted state law AB 205.

Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS) Health Coverage

Kylan deVries (UCSB) spoke on the importance of including SRS as part of health benefit coverage. Right now UC health plans cover therapy and hormone treatment, but not SRS.
Kylan shared a brochure of information regarding transgender healthcare at UC. Student health coverage (undergrads and grads) is determined campus-by-campus.

Action: Nancy Jean Tubbs will post the Kylan’s hand-out of trans health benefits information on the UCLGBTIA website.

Break-Out Session Reports

Students:

  • Identified & discussed issues going on at each campus—Work on intersecting identities, outreach (1st year students), invisible communities (bi, trans, intersex)
    UC-wide issues: workshops & training (panels, outreach programs)
  • Outreach programming (speaker’s bureau, workshops, guess the straight person)
  • Freshman Outreach
  • Contact list, resource sharing
  • Understanding variances of coming out across cultures
  • Solidarity in UC programs (esp for national events)
  • North/South interactions

Staff:

  • LGBTIQ Minor—staff group discussed the administrative aspects of the minor (approval process, faculty/administrative support, etc.)
  • Chancellor’s Advisory Committees—how they are structured, our relationship to them

UCLGBTIA Website

Emily Nalven has agreed to be the new “web goddess” to continue the efforts of previous web manager (Tchad Sanger). New website has been transferred to the new web server (www.uclgbtia.org), including minutes, agendas, upcoming meetings, conference, etc.
Adding informational pages on current issues discussed by UCLGBTIA: blood drives, Boy Scouts, United Way, gender-free restrooms, trans health benefits, domestic partner benefits, etc.

Future Meeting Calendar

  • UCLGBTIA 15th Annual Conference & General Assembly, February 20-22, 2004 @ UC San Diego
  • Spring ’04 SCOM @ UC San Francisco. (Date TBA—May?)
  • Fall ’04 SCOM @ UCSB (Date TBA)

Announcements

None.

Meeting adjourned at 3:59pm.

Notes submitted by UCLGBTIA Secretary Kyle Richards.