and Some Do Not -- Read 15 College Policies Below
The following are the anti-discrimination policies of 15 colleges in the Greater Lehigh Valley and Berks County area. Some of these policies protect students, employees and staff from discrimination based on sexual orientation and some do not. Pay careful attention to the wording of each policy. Remember there is no PA State or federal anti discrimination law that protects people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodation. In the Greater Lehigh Valley and Berks County only Allentown and Easton have laws that protect people based on sexual orientation and gender identity. (For other PA towns with similar protections click here.)
The opinion after each policy is written by a GLBT civil rights activist who advocates for the community but who is not a lawyer. The opinion should not be construed as legal advice. If you feel you are being discriminated against, contact a qualified lawyer for help. See the legal section in resources for referrals.(click here for legal help referrals)
The policies below were either furnished by the college’s HR department to PA Diversity Network or can be found at the college’s web site. When it is very hard to find the the actual language of a college’s anti discrimination policy, the policy is ultimately less effective. Ideally the policy should be at the bottom of a college’s home page and on all the college’s publications.
College and University nondiscrimination policies may be updated without notification. Please let PA Diversity Network know if a college policy is updated or expanded so this list can be updated. If you are dismayed that your college's policy is not fully supportive, contact the college and encourage a policy update.
Rating System for Policies:
***** (Five Star) Best! Includes protections for sexual orientation and gender identity with no loopholes
^^^ (Three Up Arrows) Only Partly Inclusive. Includes protections for sexual orientation but not gender Identity.
0 (Zero) Supports GLBT Discrimination because it has a policy that does not include sexual orientation or gender identity
F (The Big F) Failing. The policy is nullified by poor language and loopholes that say it applies “if required by law” in a town where there is no law that requires it or something equally weak.
XX (Double Crosses) Supports Discrimination Against Everyone! because it has no protections for anybody, no protected classes at all. Yipe!
Ratings:
***** Muhlenberg College
***** Lehigh University
***** The Pennsylvania State University
^^^(*)Cedar Crest College
^^^ Albright College
^^^ Lafayette College
^^^ Lehigh Valley College
^^^ Northampton Community College
^^^ Reading Area Community College
^^^ (F) Kutztown University
0 Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
F Lehigh Carbon Community College
F Moravian College
XX Alvernia College
XX DeSales University
15 College Anti-Discrimination Policies:
Muhlenberg College does not discriminate against any person based on age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
*****---Opinion: This is a well written policy that clearly protects people based on sexual orientation and gender identity with no equivocation and no loopholes. Muhlenberg College has also instituted a partial gender neutral housing policy. Muhlenberg is in Allentown, PA which has a nondiscrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. Muhlenberg is a private college.
Lehigh University does not discriminate against any person based on age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, marital status, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. For students, this applies to educational programs, residential environments, athletics and other co-curricular programs, social and recreational programs, and student services. For faculty, staff, and student employees, this applies to all employment decisions, including selection, benefits, compensation, tenure, training and educational programs, transfer, promotion/demotion, layoff, return from layoff, and termination.
*****---Opinion: This is a well written policy that clearly protects people based on sexual orientation and gender identity with no equivocation and no loopholes. Lehigh University is a private college in Bethlehem, PA. Bethlehem has no nondiscrimination ordinance.
The Pennsylvania State University (including- Berks and Lehigh County Branches) prohibits discrimination and harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status. Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University.
*****---Opinion: This is a well written policy that clearly protects people based on sexual orientation and gender identity with no equivocation and no loopholes. Penn State is a public college. The main campus is in State College, PA which has a nondiscrimination ordinance that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. However, the branches of Penn State in Berks and Lehigh Counties are not in areas which have nondiscrimination ordinances.
Cedar Crest College complies with all applicable federal and state legislation and does not in any way discriminate in educational programs or in employment on the basis of religion, national origin, race, age, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.
^^^(*)---Opinion: This policy protects people based on sexual orientation but does not include gender identity. *However, because Cedar Crest is a women only college, it is its mission to support women in a way exclusive of men. It would be unlikely for Cedar Crest to adopt a gender identity policy because it would go against its mission. Cedar Crest College is a private college in Allentown PA. Allentown has an anti-discrimination policy (however the City’s policy exempts organizations which are mission driven.)
Albright College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or disability. This policy extends to all educational, service and employment programs of the College. Student concerns should be directed to the Assistant Dean, 610-921-7662. Faculty, staff and student employee concerns should be directed to the Director of Human Resources/Affirmative Action Coordinator, at 610-921-7629.
^^^---Opinion: This policy protects people based on sexual orientation but does not include gender identity. Albright College is a private college. It is in Reading PA, which has no nondiscrimination ordinance.
Lafayette College complies with all applicable federal and state legislation and does not in any way discriminate in educational programs or in employment on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, physical ability, or sexual orientation.
^^^---Opinion: This policy protects people based on sexual orientation but not on gender identity. However, Lafayette College is in Easton PA, where there is a nondiscrimination law that protects people on both sexual orientation and gender identity. Lafayette College is a private college.
Lehigh Valley College does not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, age, physical handicap, race, creed or religion, in its admission to, or treatment in its programs and activities, including advertising, training, placement and employment.
^^^---Opinion: This policy protects people based on sexual orientation but not gender identity. Lehigh Valley College is a private technical college in Center Valley, PA. Center Valley has no nondiscrimination ordinance.
Northampton Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability or status as a disabled or Viet Nam era veteran, in its activities, programs, or employment practices.
^^^---Opinion: This policy protects people based on sexual orientation but does not include gender identity. Northampton Community College is a public college which is part of the PA State system. It is in Bethlehem PA, which has no nondiscrimination ordinance.
Reading Area Community College, an equal opportunity college, does not discriminate against persons in employment, educational programs or activities, vocational programs or awarding of contracts based on race, gender, religion, national origin, age, color, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability. Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination, extends to all other legally protected classifications and is published in accordance with state and federal laws.
^^^---Opinion: This policy protects people based on sexual orientation but does not include gender identity. Reading Area Community College is a public college, which is part of the PA State system. It is in Reading PA, which has no nondiscrimination ordinance.
Kutztown University --Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, national origin, gender, religion, citizenship, sexual orientation, age, physical ability or veteran status. In addition to monitoring the university's compliance with Affirmative Action and Equal Employment/Education Opportunity laws and regulations , the Office of Social Equity ensures the enforcement of nondiscrimination policies adopted by the university.
^^^(F)---Opinion: This nondiscrimination policy protects people based on sexual orientation but does not include gender identity. However, if you look at the policy below regarding student groups at Kutztown you can see a loophole in the student group policy. It
prohibits illegal discrimination. Since Kutztown University is in Kutztown PA, and because Kutztown has no municipal nondiscrimination policy, it is not “illegal” to discriminate based on sexual orientation. This is an example of a loophole in a policy that would technically allow discrimination against gay groups. However, since Kutztown has a general nondiscrimination policy that includes sexual orientation it may nullify this loophole.
Kutztown University Support of Student Organizations
...In order to comply with the University’s commitment to nondiscrimination, no organization shall illegally discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or veteran’s status.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is committed to equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, disability and veteran status.
0---Opinion: Based on this policy, students, faculty and staff are not protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Bloomsburg University is in Bloomsburg, PA (which is actually closer to the middle of the State of PA than near the Lehigh Valley). The town of Bloomsburg has no anti-discrimination law. Bloomsburg Univ. is part of the public State College system.
Lehigh Carbon Community College will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disabilities, veteran status or sexual orientation in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices as required by applicable laws and regulations.
F---Opinion: This policy suggests it protects people based on sexual orientation but does not include gender identity. However, it has a major loophole at the end of the policy where it says: “as required by applicable laws and regulations.” The main campus of Lehigh Carbon Community College is in Schnecksville, PA which has no “applicable laws and regulations” that require the college to protect people from discrimination at all, and since there are no State or federal law, the policy’s protection based on sexual orientation is effectively nullified by the ending language. The LCCC campus in Allentown is protected by Allentown’s law. LCCC is a public college, which is part of the PA State system.
Moravian College - In compliance with federal and state laws and regulations governing affirmative action and nondiscrimination, Moravian College does not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, and employment of students, faculty, and staff in the operation of any of its educational programs and activities as defined by law. Accordingly, nothing in this publication should be viewed as directly or indirectly expressing any limitation, specification, or discrimination as to race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran’s status except as required by law. Inquiries concerning this policy may be directed to: Mr. Dennis A. Domchek, Vice President for Administration, Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018 (610 861-1360). Moravian College (part 2) -- No student, however, will be barred from admission based upon unlawful considerations including, but not limited to, race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran’s status.
F---Opinion: These Moravian College policies have a number of troubling loopholes. Within the student handbook the classes of sexual orientation and gender identity are mentioned but they seem to be soundly nullified by adding “as defined by law.” Moravian College is in Bethlehem PA, which has no law. So there are no requirements defined by law. Further, notice that the policy in the student handbook on admission, does say no student will be barred from admission based on sexual orientation or gender identity, but does not define their rights after they are admitted. Moravian College is a private college.
Alvernia College complies with all applicable federal, state and local nondiscrimination laws in the administration of its educational programs and services and in its employment relationships. We are committed to equality. Continued and responsible growth of our College will result from enhancing and utilizing the abilities of all individuals to their fullest extent practical within the framework of our environment. All employment decisions will advance the principle of equal employment opportunity. In addition, personnel activities such as recruitment, interviewing, selection, promotion, training, benefits, transfers, lay-offs, demotion and discipline shall be administered according to good business practices, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972, Executive Orders concerning equal employment opportunity, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations and guidelines, all of which require that all persons have equal employment opportunities and strictly prohibit discriminatory and harassment practices.
XX---Opinion: This policy does not protect students, employees or faculty based on sexual orientation or gender identity, nor does it have a list of any protected classes. Alvernia College is a Catholic college. It is in Reading PA, which has no nondiscrimination ordinance.
DeSales University is firmly and publicly committed to the principles of Roman Catholic doctrine and morality. It also fully recognizes that the search for truth requires an atmosphere of intellectual freedom and that love demands an openness to all that is good. DeSales University distinguishes carefully between the free pursuit of truth, which it guarantees every member of the campus community, and its own commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
XX---Opinion: This policy does not protect students, employees or faculty based on sexual orientation or gender identity, nor does it have a list of any protected classes. DeSales University is a Catholic college. It is in Center Valley PA, which has no nondiscrimination ordinance.