Gay Rights Group Applauds University Nondiscrimination Policy

A gay rights group is touting a new nondiscrimination policy at Florida Atlantic University as a victory for gay and lesbian students and employees.
The policy, which updates previous anti-harassment guidelines, says the university is committed to maintaining an environment free of "unlawful discrimination and harassment" that is based "on a legally protected class."
The policy, which the Board of Trustees approved June 28, mentions race, color, religion, age, disability, sex, national origin, marital status, veteran status and "any other basis protected by law."
It's that last catch-all category, the "any other basis," that technically protects gay students and employees, said Rand Hoch, the founder of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, a gay-rights group.
The reason, he said, is that six of the seven FAU campuses are in Palm Beach and Broward counties, which have ordinances that ban discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation. So FAU is essentially agreeing to offer its employees and students on its campuses these same protections, he said.
FAU also has a campus in St. Lucie County, which does not specifically ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. But Hoch said he assumes FAU would consistently enforce its policies on all campuses.
The policy outlines grievance procedures for anyone who feels they have been harassed or discriminated against.
Hoch pushed for a policy change after some professors complained to him that gay faculty had no protection from retaliation. So he met with university officials last month in the hope of getting sexual orientation specifically added as a protected class. But he said he was told that the trustees were unlikely to approve language specifically addressing sexual orientation. The proposal that passed was a compromise, he said.
"It is as good as we are going to get from FAU at this time," he said.
FAU spokeswoman Kristine McGrath sent an e-mail statement saying that the university's policies "continue to protect the entire university community from all forms of unwelcome harassment and discrimination."
The trustees' audit and finance committee proposed the changes, which received full board approval, the statement said.
Hoch said this new policy goes beyond the protections offered at some other state universities. The Board of Governors, which oversees the state system, requires only that universities adhere to all state and federal nondiscrimination laws. Sexual orientation is not included.
Fred Fejes, an FAU communications professor, said he hoped the new policy would be more specific in its protection of gay employees and students.
"Legally speaking, it's good enough," he said. "In terms of attracting talent, it could present a problem. Basically, it is still saying the university is uncomfortable with it."
from The Sun-Sentinel