The LGBTQ Center supports our LGBTQ faculty and staff as well as our students. Check back here for updates on a regular LGBTQ Faculty-Staff support and social group.
We can also offer specialized workshops for faculty on a broad range of issues. Please see our Trainings and Workshops page for details.
LGBTQ Gender Equity Collection
Right here on our own campus we have a world-class archive of LGBTQ material at Burritt Library, painstakingly assembled over many years by former Archivist Frank Gagliardi. It is the very best and most comprehensive collection of local Connecticut LGBTQ history, from the 1950s up to today: from pre-Stonewall artifacts and the complete run of local LGBTQ publications through activism around the gay rights law, AIDS, hate crimes, marriage equality and the transgender rights law. Personal papers from some of the key players in the struggle for LGBTQ equality in Connecticut are part of the collection. The Gender Equity Collection would be of interest to faculty from Sociology, History, Anthropology, Criminology, Social Work, Philosophy, English, Art and other departments.
https://library.ccsu.edu/help/spcoll/
For more information, contact Renata Vickrey at vickreyr@ccsu.edu or William Mann at williammann@ccsu.edu
Guide For Faculty Working With Transgender & Gender Non-Conforming Students
Important Things to Know
Central's Non-Discrimination Policy protects Central students and employees from discrimination and barriers to an equitable learning environment based on their sexual orientation or their gender identity/expression.
Central Connecticut State University Nondiscrimination in Education and Employment Policy (see full policy here)
Central Connecticut State University is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in education and employment. No person shall be discriminated against in terms and conditions of employment, personnel practices, or access to or participation in programs, services and activities with regard to: age; ancestry, color; gender identity and expression; intellectual disability; learning disability; mental disorder; physical disability; marital status, national origin; race; religious creed; sex, including pregnancy, transgender status, sexual harassment and sexual assault; sexual orientation; or any other status protected by federal or state laws. Discrimination in employment based on genetic information is prohibited. In addition, Central will not refuse to hire solely because of a prior criminal conviction, unless that refusal is permitted by Connecticut law.
This policy shall apply to all individuals affiliated with Central including, but not limited to, students, employees, applicants, agents and guests and is intended to protect the rights of concerned individuals.
Discrimination is defined as conduct that is directed at an individual because of his or her protected class and subjects the individual to different treatment so as to interfere with or limit the ability of the individual to participate in, or benefit from, the services, activities, or privileges provided by the university or otherwise adversely affects the individual's employment or education.
- The laws of the State of Connecticut State also protect our students from discrimination and barriers to an equitable learning environment based on their sexual orientation or their gender identity/expression.
Federal Title IX regulations regarding sex-based discrimination in Higher Education also include gender identity based discrimination in Higher-Ed. Therefore discrimination or harassment against transgender students because of their identity or expression may also amount to sex based discrimination that can be actionable under Title IX.
Examples of offenses that can amount to gender identity based discrimination or harassment include refusing to use a student's preferred name or pronouns in the classroom; repeatedly misnaming or misgendering a student in the classroom after you have been notified of their status and preferences; outing a transgender student's status via group emails or postings; retaliation or active discrimination against a transgender student by limiting their participation and opportunities in classroom; and refusing to allow a transgender student the right to access or use a restroom in keeping with their gender identity.
What does this mean for you in the classroom working with your students?
We are required to honor a student’s preferred name and gender pronouns at this University. When a student makes you aware that they use a name or gender pronoun that is different from what appears on the class roster, you are required to make a conscious effort to comply with the student's request. Using the wrong name or gender pronouns in classrooms has the effect of accidentally outing the student to their peers and making known their status as a transgender person. Studies have also shown that the more a student’s gender identity is affirmed in the classroom the better they do as a student.
Central has a preferred first name option for students that will correct their internal records allowing class rosters and Blackboard to automatically show a preferred name if the student opts into this system. If a student asks you to use a preferred name and pronouns in class please encourage them to consider taking advantage of this program. You can access this program through the Registrar’s office. Link: https://www.ccsu.edu/registrar/
The program is private, secure and confidential to activate and will allow the student to streamline the use of a preferred name in select locations of student information data. Whether or not a student chooses to activate this program, do your best to accommodate these requests. Manually correct your roster. If you make an error, quickly and matter-of-factly correct yourself (as you would when accidentally using the wrong pronoun or name for anyone else in class) and later apologize to the student in private.
If a name change has not been made, please consider that any emails you send to your entire class could have the unintentional effect of outing your students. We encourage you to send group emails to your classes using the "BCC" blind copy field instead of the regular "To" or "CC" fields. When you use this feature the email recipients will not automatically receive the list of classmates' legal names as they appear in the email directory.
If you are made aware of a student's LGBQ or transgender status do not assume other professors, friends, or family are also aware of the student's status.
We are doing more to improve our student support services for Transgender and gender non-conforming students and it will take some to implement necessary changes.
Be aware that there are very few gender-neutral bathrooms available on campus for the students that require them. In some cases, a student may have to travel quite a bit from your class to use the restroom. At the same time understand that we cannot require students to use only certain bathroom on campus. Although we do offer gender-neutral restrooms, students must be allowed to use restrooms in keeping with their gender identity, not their legal sex.
Recommended reading for all Central Faculty:
“Preferred Gender Pronouns: For Faculty (Or, How to Take Important Steps in Becoming a Trans Ally!)”
This is a great quick guide for faculty that was developed for Hampshire College. Consider working on these skills and standards for your classrooms here at Central.
Want to learn how to be a more visible and active Ally for our LGBTQ community?
Consider hosting a training or workshop for your class, department or office. Please see our Trainings and Workshops page.