Trans @ U of R

**PLEASE NOTE: THE INFORMATION BELOW (AND IN THE ABOVE HANDBOOK) IS CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED. PLEASE CHECK BACK THEN. IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE USE INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE AS A REFERENCE ONLY. WE’RE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.

The University of Rochester envisions itself as a community that welcomes, encourages, and supports individuals who desire to contribute to and benefit from the institution’s mission of teaching, research, patient care, performance, and community service. In a pluralistic culture, that community includes faculty, students, and staff who represent important differences.

The University of Rochester includes gender identity and expression as a protected group in its non-discrimination policy in affirmation of the University’s philosophy that all students should be treated fairly and respectfully. As we strive to be a more diverse and inclusive campus, we recognize the importance of having policies and practices that support students who identify as transgender, gender variant, and/or gender nonconforming (GNC). This website provides information to support trans and GNC students as they navigate campus facilities, resources and systems.

Trans At Rochester: A Handbook for Transgender Students Navigating Social, Administrative, and Medical Gender Transition at the University of Rochester

This guide was designed to help transgender and/or gender nonconforming students navigate social, administrative, and medical transition while attending the University of Rochester and living in the Rochester community. For brevity, the label “trans” may be used throughout the guide to refer to transgender and/or gender nonconforming people. However, the information contained in this handbook can be used by anyone who needs it, whether or not they identify as transgender and/or gender nonconforming. It can also provide faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends of the University with information about how to support trans and gender nonconforming students. The Susan B. Anthony Center worked with campus partners to collect content and create/ update the handbook.

The handbook was last updated in September 2019, but we are currently working on the 3rd edition as we are aware that some of the information contained in the handbook is out of date. Please use the following as a reference only and check back for the 3rd edition which will be uploaded here in the near future**:

DOWNLOAD HANDBOOK- 2nd Edition

Student Life

Application Forms
Both the Common Application and the Universal College Application require applicants to indicate the sex as listed on their birth certificate to meet federal guidelines. However, both electronic applications provide applicants the option to indicate their gender identity in the additional information sections. The University of Rochester recently added “Transgender” and “Other (please specify):” options on Part 1 of its application for undergraduate admission.

Student Housing
The Office of Residential Life and Housing Services addresses housing needs for trans, gender variant, and GNC students on a case-by-case basis in order to ensure that accommodations are made according to each student’s needs. The Director of Housing Operations will work with students individually to review available options and come up with a supportive housing plan. Contact: housing@reslife.rochester.edu

All-Gender Restrooms
The University of Rochester affirms the right of all individuals to use the restroom of the gender with which they identify. There are all-gender bathrooms as well as some single-occupancy-gendered bathrooms at various locations on campus:

River Campus

Anderson Hall – 1st floor – room 115
Anderson Hall – Basement across from elevators – room 11
Anderson Hall – Basement across from elevators – room 12
Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center – ground floor – room G12A
Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center – ground floor – room G12B
Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center – 1st floor – room C161
Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center – 1st floor – room C163
Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center – 2nd floor – room 204
Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center – 2nd floor – room 205
Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center – 2nd floor – C232B
Bloch Alumni and Advancement Center – 2nd floor – C232C
Burton Hall – 1st floor – room 107
Burton Hall – 3rd floor – room 311
Carlson Science and Engineering Library – Lower Level – room 106 (has ablution station)
Carlson Science and Engineering Library – Lower Level – room 107 (multi-stall)\
Crosby Hall – 1st floor – room 125
Crosby Hall – 1st floor – room 126
Computer Studies Science Library (CSSL) – 2nd floor – room 209A
Computer Studies Science Library (CSSL) – 2nd floor – room 209B
Dewey Hall – 4th floor, room 4203
Drama House – all bathrooms (shower available)
Frederick Douglass Building – 2nd floor, room 211 (family restroom)
Frederick Douglass Building – 3rd floor – room 301A
Frederick Douglass Building – 4th floor – room 416
Frederick Douglass Building – 4th floor – room 417 (family restroom)
Genesee Hall – 1st floor inside athletic training room – room 102
Genesee Hall – 2nd floor lobby – room 221
Genesee Hall – 3rd floor – room 306
Genesee Hall – 3rd floor – room 324
Genesee Hall – 4th floor – room 416B (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 4th floor – room 416C (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 4th floor – room 416D (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 4th floor – room 416E (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 4th floor – room 416F (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 4th floor – room 416G (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 5th floor – room 516B (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 5th floor – room 516C (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 5th floor – room 516D (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 5th floor – room 516E (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 5th floor – room 516F (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 5th floor – room 516G (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 6th floor – room 616B (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 6th floor – room 616C (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 6th floor – room 616D (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 6th floor – room 616E (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 6th floor – room 616F (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 6th floor – room 616G (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 7th floor – room 716B (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 7th floor – room 716C (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 7th floor – room 716D (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 7th floor – room 716E (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 7th floor – room 716F (has shower)
Genesee Hall – 7th floor – room 716G (has shower)
Gilbert Hall – 1st floor – room 104
Harkness Hall – 1st floor – room 105A
Harkness Hall – 1st floor – room 105C
Hoeing Hall – 1st floor – room 138
Hoeing Hall – 1st floor – room 139
Hopeman Building – 4th floor – room 402
Hutchison Hall – 3rd floor – room 321A
LeChase Hall – 1st floor – room 146
O’Brien Hall – 1st floor – room 144
Rush Rhees Library – 1st floor, Evans Lam Square – room 126 (7 individual restrooms)
Rush Rhees Library – 2nd floor – room 208C (family restroom)
Rush Rhees Library – 2nd floor – room 208D
Rush Rhees Library – 2nd floor – room 208E
Sage Hall – Basement – room B6
Sage Hall – Basement – room B8
Spurrier Hall – 1st floor – room 108
Taylor Hall – 1st floor – room 33
Todd Union – 1st floor – room 105A
Wegmans Hall – 2nd floor – next to room 2512 (not labeled)
Wegmans Hall – 4th floor – room 4516
Wilder Hall – basement across from elevators – room 11
Wilder Hall – basement across from elevators – room 12
Wilson Commons – 3rd floor – room 306
Wilson Commons – 3rd floor – room 306A

Sports
The showers at The Goergen Athletic Center changing facilities are individual stalls with curtains. Students may also request access to a private changing and shower area that may be used based on availability. Contact: kshanley@sports.rochester.edu.

Fraternity and Sorority Life
Below are the organizations that have a formal policy of inclusion of binary transgender students:

Alpha Phi
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Beta Theta Pi
Chi Phi
Delta Gamma
Delta Upsilon
Kappa Alpha Theta
Psi Upsilon
Sigma Beta Rho
Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Delta Tau
Panhellenic Association

In addition, the following sororities have no formal policy on trans/GNC students but have affirmed in writing that anyone who identifies as a woman is welcome to join:

Delta Phi Omega
Phi Sigma Sigma

For each organization’s official policy, visit the LGBTQ Support page on the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs’ website.

The FSA Office’s official policy on non-discrimination:

Non-Discrimination – No University of Rochester fraternity or sorority chapter shall, of its own accord, discriminate in the selection of its members, in its operation, nor in any of its other procedures on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, place of birth, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

The Pillar Program:

The Fraternity and Sorority Pillar Program is an initiative designed to provide a safe environment for LGBTQ+ students who are members of fraternities or sororities and who wish to receive more information, support, and fellowship about their own orientation. The Pillar Program is meant to be a supportive resource through the Pride Network both electronically and through face-to-face interactions. It is also intended as a resource for prospective fraternity and sorority members or those who have an interest in the intersection between LGBTQ+ identity and fraternity/sorority membership.

For more information about the pillar program and for a list of pillar advocates, visit the LGBTQ Support page on the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs’ website.

Safety and Security
To report a hate crime or bias-related incident, visit the CARE report website and select “Bias-Related Incident,” or contact University Public Safety @ 585-275-3333. Incidents will be responded to with seriousness and sensitivity. University policies direct faculty, staff, and students to treat all people with dignity and respect.

Name and Gender Marker Changes
Please contact the Office of the University Registrar to change your name and/or gender marker with the University Registrar. Contact: registrar@rochester.edu
Your Blackboard account will be updated automatically, but you may or may not be issued a new email address automatically. If your first initial has changed and you require a new email address, or if you have other problems with Blackboard, contact University IT.
You will not be issued a new ID card automatically; please visit the ID office to replace your ID card free of charge.
Your name on file with the post office/package store will NOT be changed automatically. Please visit the package store to change your name in the electronic package system and the name posted inside your post box.
Your name and gender marker on the Campus Community Connections page (ccc.rochester.edu) will not be changed automatically. Follow instructions on the CCC page to contact their customer support team.

Campus correspondences that use/display the name you have on file with the registrar:

Class rosters
Paper correspondence from the Dean’s office
Transcripts
e-Accounts (declining and flex)
HRMS payroll (including URMC employment)
University paychecks **
Tuition bills **
Employment-related tax forms (W2’s, etc.) **
Financial aid correspondence **

** Your name on file with the registrar does not have to be your legal name in order to continue successfully using/receiving these services. Your legal name is kept attached to your University profile, and having two names will not interfere with financial aid, tuition billing, or compensation for work. Your SSN or other identifying information can also be used to identify you in the event of a name “mismatch.”

Alumni:

Alumni: If you wish to change your name on your diploma(s), the University of Rochester will waive all replacement fees. Contact: Lauren McKenna, lauren.mckenna@rochester.edu.

University Health Service
The non-discrimination policy at the University Health Service precludes discrimination based on gender identity and/or expression. The UHS staff has undergone Safe Zone training to better enable them to provide the best care possible for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming and queer patients. UHS providers will frequently pair with counselors at the University Counseling Center in order to provide comprehensive care. A primary care provider at UHS can help to provide appropriate resources both at the University and in the greater community. Contact: Linda Dudman, Patient Advocate. ldudman@uhs.rochester.edu

University Counseling Center
All U of R undergraduate, graduate and professional students as well as faculty and staff are welcome to consult with the UCC staff about gender identity and resources for trans/GNC people on campus and in the community. UCC therapists are committed to providing gender-affirmative counseling. Several therapists have specific experience providing support for individuals who are exploring gender transition or who are transitioning during college. Full-time students participate in the Student Health Program, which covers time-limited individual or couples’ therapy at the University Counseling Center (UCC), and we offer personalized referral to community practitioners for long term counseling needs.

Health Insurance
Students who are enrolled in the University-sponsored Aetna Student Health insurance plan are eligible for transition-related coverage including hormone therapy, medical and psychological counseling, and surgery.

Campus Resources

Pride Network: The mission of the University of Rochester’s Pride Network is to create an open and secure environment for people of all sexual orientations and genders on the University of Rochester campus and in the community at large. Contact: URpride@gmail.com

TINT: TINT (Transgender, Intersex, Non-Binary, and Two Spirit) is an informal social group for trans, gender variant, and questioning U of R students. Email uofrtint@gmail.com for details about weekly meetings.

Simon GSA: LGBT MBAs at the Simon School of Business seeks to function as a resource to develop, inform, support, and enrich an LGBT community on campus. Simon GSA organizes and promotes a variety of social and professional activities with the aim of building a strong network of future business leaders, while also serving as an educational resource to the greater Simon community. Contact: SimonGSA@Simon.Rochester.edu

LGBTQ Advocacy Committee: University leadership recognizes that while they have made many changes to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for members of the LGBTQ community, clearly many challenges still exist and further efforts are needed to enable them to better serve their diverse community. Much of the LGBTQ advocacy work at the University of Rochester has involved multidisciplinary and multi-specialty collaboration between many offices across all campuses. To ensure these individuals remained engaged in these efforts, and as result of discussions with alumni and the Office for Faculty Development and Diversity, the university convened an LGBTQ Advocacy Committee in 2015. To ensure complete representation this committee consists of faculty, staff, and students from the LGBTQ community as well as allies. Last year the LGBTQ Advocacy Committee spearheaded a campus-wide initiative to provide more all-gender restrooms.

Interfaith Chapel: The Interfaith Chapel is a “Safe Space” for students, faculty, and staff who identify as LGBTQI and provides spiritual resources for anyone who is working through issues of gender identity, sexual orientation, or sexuality in general. Several of the chaplains are trained to assist students, faculty, and staff in a non-judgmental and affirming way. The Protestant Chapel Community and Hillel (Reform and Conservative Judaism) are openly affirming and welcoming of all LGBTQI persons, with chaplains specifically trained in issues of gender identity and expression. The Student Association for Interfaith Cooperation is also an open and affirming interfaith student organization that welcomes all students, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Anyone wishing to integrate their sexuality/gender identity and their spirituality is welcome at the Interfaith Chapel. Contact The Rev. Dr. C. Denise Yarbrough, Director, Religious and Spiritual Life: dyarbrough@admin.rochester.edu

Safe Space: Safe Space is a staff/faculty-run initiative that unites lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) faculty, staff, and students—and those that support them. Safe Space is an additional resource for questions or issues that might arise around sexual orientation and gender identity issues in the workplace. When you see a Safe Space sticker posted in an office at the University, you will know the person there has been trained to listen in a non-judgmental way to help find answers to questions, problem solve, or pass along a referral for more complicated issues. Contact: kristin.hocker@rochester.edu

Susan B. Anthony Institute: The Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (SBAI) is dedicated to addressing curricular and scholarly issues important for understanding the role of women, gender, and sexuality throughout history and in contemporary society. In service of this mission SBAI offers: courses, clusters, events (conferences, screenings, etc.), the annual Rainbow Lecture, LGBTQI Awareness Month programming, experiential learning programs, and other resources (Undergraduate Council for Gender and Women’s Studies, SBAI Library, Pride Library, LGBTQIA Resource Page) on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI) topics. Contact: sbai@rochester.edu

Susan B. Anthony Center: The mission of the Susan B. Antony Center is to translate research into practice and policy to promote social justice and equality for all, at the university, and in the Rochester and international communities. The center works with multiple organizations to help address many of the social injustice issues and health care disparities that are faced by trans and GNC individuals. Contact: john_cullen@urmc.rochester.edu