U. of Alaska president Pat Gamble says system's non-discrimination policies should include protection for gays
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
February 13, 2011
University of Alaska President Pat Gamble is recommending the system’s non-discrimination policies be changed to include sexual orientation as a protected status.
Some UA students and employees have lobbied for the change for years, routinely speaking at Board of Regents meetings to request the policy be amended to include homosexual, bisexual and transgender individuals. Regents will consider amending the policy at their meeting in Anchorage on Feb. 17-18.
The change would add “sexual orientation” to a list of a dozen other protected categories in the existing non-discrimination policies, including “race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, veteran status, physical or mental disability, marital status, pregnancy or parenthood.” The proposal doesn’t include gender identity, another status that has also been commonly requested for inclusion.
“Decisions affecting individuals shall be based on the individual’s qualifications, abilities and performance, as appropriate,” the policy reads.
In a short summary on the board agenda, Gamble said he recommends adding sexual orientation as a protected class. He said national trends are heading in the direction of including it as part of the already protected “gender” class, and that the federal government already lists it as a protected class in all federal employee manuals.
“With the elimination of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ from the military, the trend is clear,” the summary reads. “The time has come to acknowledge this protection explicitly.”
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - University of Alaska could expand non discrimination to include sexual orientation
