Deaton takes IncludeMe to UM system

The change would expand MU's non-discrimination policy.

By Jessica Silverman

Published Dec. 8, 2009

Correction appended

Conflicting information regarding the IncludeMe campaign's request to incorporate gender identity and expression into MU's non-discrimination policy has bounced between all parties involved with the change.

Missouri Students Association President Jordan Paul said Chancellor Brady Deaton plans to speak with the general and faculty council, as well as other UM system campus administrations.

"Chancellor Deaton would discuss (the proposal) with the pertinent parties," Paul said. "There needs to be a system-wide approach."

IncludeMe is pushing for gender expression and gender identity to be represented in the non-discrimination policy, said Erin Horth, Triangle Coalition president and campaign leader.

"Sex and sexual identity are covered," Horth said. "I think we need to explain why gender identity and expression are not the same thing as sex and why this is a necessity."

Including gender identity and expression within the statement protects those who may not follow gender norms. If they are not protected, students, staff and faculty could be fired, failed or discriminated against.

Student and staff organizations that would be protected by the clause are Fluidity, a student transgender interest group, and the Transgender Action Team, a student and faculty transgender interest group.

Paul met with the deputy chancellor and said Deaton was supportive, but there is some uncertainty as to what IncludeMe wants to do, Horth said.

Paul said the administration would like a legal interpretation of the current statement to clarify whom it protects.

"I want to try to get (Horth) in the room (with the administration)," Paul said. "She knows better than anyone as far as talking about (the proposal)."

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs said the chancellor is looking for other areas of the campus to be supportive.

"If you look at the history of sexual orientation, colleges on other campuses adopted their own statement first," Scroggs said. "The chancellor is interested in knowing the other campus groups are also supporting this. There's a much bigger need for a coalition on the other campuses. There's quite a bit more work to be done."

Scroggs said the chancellor did not say in the meeting he would take the proposal to the deans, but Scroggs said the provost would probably discuss it with them.

The student body voted 82 percent in favor of adding the clause to the non-discrimination policy, but Scroggs said that is just one constituent group.

"It's a statement that doesn't just affect MU," Scroggs said. "It affects all four campuses. That's just one student voice out of four. I don't know what the faculty council said here, or what the students on the other campuses said. The discussion is just beginning."

Horth said she did not hear about Deaton's response from Paul until Saturday night. The Maneater received word from Paul of the administration's reaction to the proposal in November.

Horth said she has not heard directly from the administration. Paul said they would probably follow up with Horth at a later date.