SGA senators seek solutions to misgendering on campus

SGA+Diversity%2C+Empowerment+%26amp%3B+Inclusion+Chair+Iris+Okere+and+Academic+Affairs+Chair+Mackenzie+Lane+speak+to+SGA+about+issues+facing+misgendering.+The+senators+will+be+working+on+a+project+to+hold+faculty%2C+staff%2C+and+students+accountable+for+using+correct+pronouns.

Danielle Wagner

SGA Diversity, Empowerment & Inclusion Chair Iris Okere and Academic Affairs Chair Mackenzie Lane speak to SGA about issues facing misgendering. The senators will be working on a project to hold faculty, staff, and students accountable for using correct pronouns.

Two SGA Senators are pushing for changes regarding WSU’s lack of enforcing misgendering policies.

University policy states that every professor is required to include the link to course policies at the bottom of their syllabus. Some professors, by accident or not, have been excluding this policy on discrimination. 

In SGA’s meeting on Nov. 2, Academic Affairs Chair Mackenzie Lane and Diversity, Empowerment and Inclusion Chair Iris Okere stated that they are working on a resolution to resolve this issue.

This will also be addressing misgendering at the student level. Senator Victoria Owens brought up the issues resident assistants face with reports.

Reports given from students to RAs are sent to their supervisor. After the report is passed on, the RA receives no follow-up.

Reports on misgendering or discrimination, in general, can be filed at “WSU Report It” or https://www.wichita.edu/administration/oiec/. Reports can also be done anonymously. 

Lane and Okere are partnering with Spectrum, the campus LGBTQ+ and allies organization, to draft a resolution within the next couple of weeks to try to solve problems of misgendering inside and outside of the classroom.

Senators are also looking to hear from staff about how the reporting process works once a report is received and processed.

To find more information about proper use of pronouns you can visit https://www.wichita.edu/services/odi/lgbtq/resources/pronouns.php

To read the nondiscrimination policy in place at WSU visit https://www.wichita.edu/about/policy/ch_03/ch3_02.php.