April 5, 2003 Minutes

UC Davis

Attendees:

Berkeley: Billy Curtis, Shawn DeMille, Jonathan Winters
Davis: Daniel Bayless, Sharon McDonell, Nathan Thomas
Irvine: Charmaine Chan, Sigifredo “Freddie” Diaz, Andrew Leung, Dustin Utt
Office of President: Emily Nalven
Riverside: Mike Atienza, Jesse Balderas, Christina Gonzalez, Lupe Lopez, Vianey Ramirez, Erik Ruggels, Tatiana Svolopoulos, Nancy Jean Tubbs, Jocelyn Wong, Frank Woo
San Diego; Sarah Archibald, Shaun Travers
Santa Barbara: Michael Aires, Kyle Richards, Peter Russell

Los Angeles, Merced, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, LLBL, LLNL & LANL Reps not in attendance.

Meeting convened at 10:05am

Introductions

Welcome by Jan Gong, Asst. Vice Chancellor, UC Davis

Approval of Minutes

Minutes approved as written. Motion to approve made by Sarah Archibald, seconded by Daniel Bayless.

Upcoming UCLGBTIA meetings

• Fall 2003 Meeting @ UC Irvine, October 25, 2003
• Winter 2004 Conference & General Assembly @ UC San Diego, February 20-22, 2003
• Spring 2004 Meeting @ UC San Francisco
• Fall 2004 Meeting @ UC Santa Barbara

UCOP Presentation - New DP Benefits Booklet

Kay Miller of UCOP presented on a draft DP Benefits booklet. Encourages us to review content and contact if any concerns. Booklet was produced with assistance from SCOM members Shane Snowdon & Bob Anderson. Summary of benefit processes, not re-elaborating what benefits. Explanations of how benefits apply to Registered/non-registered DP’s. Draft doesn’t include forms.

Revision to plan eligibility - eliminate 6 months residency requirement; synonymous with retirement benefits.

UCOP reps will continue making presentations to campuses on benefits and willing to travel to campuses for this (UCSF & UCLA have had presentations). No cost to campuses for requesting this presentation. Kay, Lily Pang is in charge of road-show presentations. Contact them to schedule.

No longer requiring documentation up-front, only upon an audit. Booklet and forms will be available online. Simplifying forms; all references to “spouse or DP”.

For non-registered DP’s, survivorship benefits may be proven with other proofs ahead of time. State Registry is the comprehensive standard; no other proof is needed. If registered only with local or county, other proofs & UPAY form also required. UPAY 250 form being eliminated; will use UPAY 850.

Tax-savings on Insurance Premiums account (TIP) info state income taxes were corrected in this draft. Info sent at open enrollment was an error.

Hardcopy distribution planned through HR & Benefits. Suggested distribution at new employee orientations and LGBT centers at each campus. Document will be on the web as a *.pdf document.

UCOP Presentation - Transgender Health Benefits Chart

Distributed spreadsheet that was revised. Doctors’ office visits clarified.

Surgery for gender reassignment not covered by any plan. Only some hormone therapy.

Rates still too high to provide for reassignment surgery coverage. Will continue to negotiate such benefits.

Judy Boyette’s office had some concern that increased overall costs would be attributed to Transgender benefit inclusion, rather than general high cost increases.

Transgender Health not included with DP benefits booklet, since it is a stand-alone issue.

Each campus has a health care facilitator to handle complicated individual cases. They will be responsible for questions regarding Trans benefits coverage.

DP Equity Issues

Review of meeting with student regent-designate, Matt Murray. Matt introduced himself. He attends UC Berkeley and will serve on the Board as student regent for 2003-04. He worked with campus and Northern California ACLU chapter and is interested in civil rights issues. Will assist us with our remaining equity issues.

Regents may agendize retroactivity of pension survivorship benefit this year. Plan is to adjust pension benefits to current levels for members who retired prior to July 2002.

Prepare to mobilize for Regents’ meeting. Tactics - prepared to sign up for discussion item.
CRENO & student fees - Financial aid issues still a problem.

UCR Conference Summation

Distributed information on attendee demographics, plus review of budget and summary survey of opinions from General Assembly, “Setting the student agenda”.

Most complete demographics assembled. 400 people gave suggestions for future speakers; 24 pages of comments. 31 pages of presenter summations; Budget overview - surplus generated.

California Endowment gave $7000. UCSA also gave $400. Presenting to their meeting on Sunday.

External affairs item in ASUCR $$$ for student/other travel to meetings.

UCSD 2004 conference - $22000 in grant writing already begun.

Develop online survey. Use demographics to target groups for participation (trans, CSU students, etc.)

Articles & pictures of UCR conference are posted on campus pride.net .
http://www.campuspride.net/UCRComingHomeQueer.asp

CSU conference meeting occurred at UCR - run by Johnnie Owen. 6 schools represented, 27 people from CSU San Bernardino

Lunch Break 12:30pm - Two small group discussion.

Lunchtime caucus issues -

UC Davis coordinator position

Listed as SAO III; Nationwide search. Selection committee has 1 faculty, 4 staff and 2 students.

3 finalists for mid-May interviews. Will hire to start July 1.

Principles of Community building initiative begun, ‘culture-blind’ center.

Gender non-discrimination statement

AB 196 introduced by Mark Leno, to amend state code to include gender identity as a protected status against discrimination. If becomes law will likely be adopted by UC systemwide.

AB 537 Safe Schools law is currently only possible protection. Depends upon interpretation.

Student Specific Issues

Campus climate on UC’s & coalition-building/attending events other than “our own."

Include attending CSU schools. Role of student chair to include: need to bridge norcal/socal.

Listservs for student systemwide. Website add-on for message board.

Education: contacting LGBT-friendly professors for programs on campuses that don’t have them.

Presentation on Military Recruiters - Ryan Weber, UCSC

UCSC Career Center doesn’t allow employers to recruit who discriminate on basis of Sex. Orientation.

S.O. not a protected class under federal law, even though state/local laws exist.

Solomon amendment (1996) inhibited campus ability to limit military recruiting on any campus.

Money from Federal government to UCSC = 11% of total, or $55 million.

Recent interpretation of Solomon Amendment to withdraw funds from University, when an individual school (i.e., Law) bars military recruiters.

A number of law schools are collaborating in a campaign against the Solomon restrictions. They advocate implementation of ameliorative measures—short of losing federal funds.

Uphold non-discrimination statement; not prevent ROTC on campus.
-Keep career center upholding non-discrimination; able to not host military recruiters.
-Disclaimers on all events for military recruiters or organizations that discriminate.

Recruiting for military on (or near) campus vs. ROTC program on campus.
Investigate how are different UC schools being impacted by this?

April 8 protest at UCSC during ROTC recruiting. Will highlight “Stop-loss policy” towards LGBT.

Resources: http://www.gaymilitary.ucsb.edu/ and http://www.saltlaw.org/solomon/

Gender-neutral restroom update

UCSD successfully approached AVC of Business Affairs/Facilities to compile list of rooms & did it.

Inventoried single- & multi-stall facilities. Offered to change signs for single stall rooms; put identified list of restrooms on web. Also proposing more single-stall units within future buildings.

Single-stall bathrooms were often in areas with security

Approach to AVC’s at other campuses; may also be willing to comply.

Contacts for Design & Construction service at UCOP:
Asst. Director Michael Wester—SoCal; Asst. Director Michael Bade--NorCal
Facilities Management at UCOP: Director Johnny Torres
Campus Architects--Campus Standards are defined locally

Signage - Want to avoid any gender definition. circle & triangle symbols seen as gender-defining (like stick-man/dress figures). Prefer use of word ‘restroom’ or picture of a toilet.

Upcoming Meeting Schedule-see above

February Conference in 2005

Shaun - “Western Regional” conference idea for 2005. Host campus doesn’t have to do it all.

Midwest conference organized 1500 attendees. Will be in Iowa next year.

Power of ‘speaking in one voice,' regional organizing.

Western regional conference not a bad idea, but logistics are difficult. Bigger event at time of fewer means.

Already had offer for scaled-back event at UCLA. Option for General Assembly only event or no event.

Officer Elections

Nominations opened at General Assembly and concluded at meeting.

Student Chairs made statements on why they wanted to serve.

Student Chair: Jocelyn Wong (UCR); Michael Aires (UCSB)
Vice Chair: Shawn Demille (UCB) - named by acclamation.
Secretary: Kyle Richards (UCSB) - named by acclamation

New officers - Results
Nancy Jean Tubbs - chair (UCR)
Shawn DeMille - vice-chair (UCB)
Jocelyn Wong - student chair (UCR)
Kyle Richards - secretary (UCSB)

New Business

Discussion on budget issues.

Facing cuts at all campuses

UCB—already had to give up a Directorship through Gender Equity. Now closed one day a week.

What is baseline of support level? Each campus needs to determine where they are vulnerable.

Be careful how the position or FTE is dealt with at each campus.

Principles of budget cuts. Looking at 20% max cuts. But still don’t want to eliminate programs.

Students need to be vigilant of what’s happening. Staff often deal with issues students are not even aware.

Continue to advocate for expansion of services. Fight against the scarcity of resources.

Announcement

Women of color conference April 26-27 at UCR; limited free registration. http://womynofcolor.ucr.edu/

Meeting adjourned at 4:05pm

Notes submitted by UCLGBTIA Secretary Jonathan Winters.