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Cornell University

Office of the Assemblies

UA R3 (2015-2016): Adoption of an Inclusive Restroom, Locker Room, and Gender-Specific Facility Usage Policy

Acknowledged by the President

  • Resolution:
    UA R3 (2015-2016): Adoption of an Inclusive Restroom, Locker Room, and Gender-Specific Facility Usage Policy
  • Day:
    January 8, 2016
  • Action:
    Acknowledged by the President
  • Summary / Notes:
  • File Attachments:
  • Text Attachment:
    Dear Matthew,

    Thank you for conveying the University Assembly’s Resolution 3, “Adoption of an Inclusive Restroom, Locker Room, and Gender-Specific Facility Usage Policy.” The resolution is a welcome contribution to our ongoing efforts to provide a campus environment that is free of discrimination based on gender identity.

    I especially appreciate the thoughtful work of UA member Ulysses Smith, the UA Campus Welfare Committee and Brian Patchcoski, Associate Dean of Students and LGBT Resource Center Director.

    I am pleased to inform you of the following actions that the Division of Infrastructure Properties and Planning (IPP) has agreed to undertake:

    · By the conclusion of the Spring 2016 semester, IPP will revise the university’s design and construction standards to include recommendations for ADA-consistent signage for all universal facilities and other facilities such as locker rooms and showers.

    · By the beginning of the Fall 2016 semester, IPP will convert all single-occupancy, gender-specific restrooms to all-gender facilities and make available to the public, through web page links and other means, a map of universal restroom locations across the campus.


    As regards lines 64-70 of the resolution, my leadership team will explore over the coming months the notion of a policy or written statement that would allow community members and visitors to use the restroom or facility that corresponds to their gender identity, without proof of transition-related services and procedures.

    Thank you again for this submission. The outcomes of the resolution will help further strengthen inclusion on campus to the benefit of the greater Cornell community and the public at large.

    Sincerely,

    Elizabeth Garrett