Queer and Trans Resources

Welcome to the Arcadia University page on queer and trans resources! Here you will be able to find on and off-campus resources, as well as contact information and guides to additional assistance at Arcadia. If you are unable to find a resource that you are looking for, please contact the Office of Access, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at aedi@arcadia.edu or use the Suggestion and Inquiry Box in the sidebar.

Non-Discrimination

Arcadia University is committed to ensuring equal opportunity to all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or expression, military or military veteran status, disability, medical or genetic information, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal law in its educational programs, activities, admissions or employment practices as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendment of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other applicable statutes.  Discriminatory conduct and harassment, including sexual harassment, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated.

The Director of the Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR) and Title IX Coordinator oversees the University's centralized review, investigation, and resolution of reports of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, discrimination, harassment, and bias incidents. The Director of the OECR and Title IX Coordinator can be contacted by telephone or email.  The contact information for the Director of the OECR and Title IX Coordinator, Nora Nelle, is: 777 Limekiln Pike, Suite 112, 215-517-2659, nellen@arcadia.edu.  For further information, including the University's relevant policies and grievance procedures and processes, visit the Office of Equity and Civil Rights website.

You can read more about Arcadia University's policies in the Student Handbook.

Civility on Campus

The members of the Arcadia University Community encourage all individuals and groups to behave with civility. A community upholding civility respects the rights of individuals and groups. It is characterized by understanding and considerations of the differences among members of the community. The diversity of the University adds to the richness of campus life, and Arcadia University expects all members of the community to respect both differences and commonalities. The University acknowledges every community member's right to freedom of speech and freedom of inquiry. Arcadia University also affirms every community member's right to an environment that is free from harassment of any kind. The University will not tolerate the subjection of another person, group or class of persons to inappropriate, abusive, threatening, or demeaning actions at any time.

The following are important elements for individuals' consideration in an effort to work toward civility in the Arcadia University community:

• Respecting the dignity of all persons;
• Respecting the rights and privacy of others
• Striving to learn from differences in people, ideas and opinions;
• Discouraging bigotry;
• Demonstrating concern for others, their feelings, and their need for conditions that support their work and development;
• Acting with integrity

The Campus Climate Team serves to make recommendations to the President and other University officials about efforts to foster an institutional climate that is free of intolerance and to establish a protocol for responding to and monitoring incidents. If you feel an immediate threat, call Public Safety at 215-572-2999. You also can report acts of incivility or intolerance to any campus official or employee or contact any of the offices listed below.

• Dean of Students: University Commons, 215-572-2933
• Residence Life: University Commons, 215-572-2189 
• Office of Access, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Grey Towers Castle 102, 215-572-2960
• Public Safety: Dilworth, Lower Level, 215-572-2800
• Affirmative Action (Faculty and Staff Issues Only)

To learn more about how the University works towards civility, or to report an incident, please find more information list on the Student Affairs website.

The Office of Access, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and the Office of Student Affairs are able to offer assistance. Additionally, there are many members of the Arcadia community who can help you. Should you need assistance from any of the offices below, feel free to reach out directly to the people identified below. Please note this list below may change. This is an update as of June 13, 2022.

The Office of Access, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, with assistance from Facilities, maintains a list of locations and conditions. Arcadia University ensures the right of all Arcadia community members and guests to self-determine and use facilities that reflect one's identity.

The following list has been created to communicate with the Arcadia University community about the locations of private and/or gender-neutral restrooms on campus. This list can be used as a resource for students particularly of the LGBTQ+ communities who need/prefer single occupancy or gender inclusive restrooms. There are currently 26 gender-inclusive restrooms on campus. This information was last updated on June 13, 2022.

If you have questions, or find that this list is incorrect, please contact aedi@arcadia.edu for help.

Residence & Commuter Life seeks to create inclusive, welcoming environments for all students. If you identify as a transgender student, you may have some questions about what housing options we have for you. Contact housing@arcadia.edu or 215-572-4026 to speak with a RCL staff member.

For more information, please visit the Residence & Commuter Life website here.

The Office of Civic and Global Engagement (OCGE) works with students to provide global educational opportunities and find the best fit with the most appropriate program, whether it's studying abroad for a semester or international experiences such as Preview and Global Field Study Courses. There may be individual country or cultural considerations that need to be explored with due care for the individual. Students will work with a study abroad advisor for a particular country or the program manager for short-term international experiences. Please contact studyaway@arcadia.edu for more information.

For more information, please visit the OCGE website here.

Arcadia University provides a variety of services for students who would like academic and personal support. If you are experiencing personal or academic difficulties or have concerns you wish to discuss with someone, a number of individuals are available to provide assistance. For concerns of a more personal nature, you are encouraged to talk with a counselor from Counseling Services. You can make an appointment by calling 215-572-2967. Services provided are confidential and free to all full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Part-time students are eligible for services at a low cost fee per session. Counseling Services is open Monday to Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm and select evening appointments from 5pm-7pm (by appointment only).

Additionally, Counseling Services offers a variety of support groups that meets weekly. Queer Space is a queer and trans centered drop-in counseling support group. Meetings are held on Tuesdays at 3:00 pm (Fall 2022 location TBD). This support group offers a safe space for students to explore and discuss LGBTQIA+ related issues including gender, family, current events, identity expression, and to make connections with others on campus

Questions? Contact Cynthia Rutherford at rutherforc@arcadia.edu. To find out more information, view their information sheet here.

For more resources and assistance regarding queer and trans friendly counseling resources, please visit the Counseling Services website here.

Any Arcadia University student, faculty, or staff member may choose to be identified within the University community with a chosen first name that may differ from the individual's legal first name. Honoring and facilitating the use of an individual’s chosen name is a critical way for Arcadia to remain an inclusive and welcoming environment.

Arcadia students who wish to use a chosen first name should initiate this process on the Chosen Name Request Form. A person's chosen first name will appear instead of, or in addition to, the person's legal first name in University-related systems and documents where it is technically feasible and where the use of the legal first name is not required by or necessary for University business or any legal need. The offices that are responsible for updating systems that reflect chosen names will be the only offices who receive this form from students. The University systems below will reflect the chosen name in their systems within 30 days after the form is submitted.

Arcadia faculty and staff who wish to use a chosen first name should initiate this process by contacting Human Resources at humanresources@arcadia.edu.

Once the Chosen Name Request Form has been submitted, your first name will be changed in the following systems:

• MyArcadia (additional steps required)
• Canvas
• Arcadia Email Display Name/Email Address
• Zoom Display Name (additional steps required)
• SendWordNow
• KnightLife
• SHS Patient Portal
• Self-Service
• LicBal
• KnightCard (additional steps required)
• Landman Library
• Diploma (additional steps may be required)
• CareerLaunchPad
• Medicat (will appear as "Legal First Name (Chosen Name) Last Name"

Due to the legal nature of reporting grades and financial aid information, certain administrative systems will retain an individual's legal first name. These include:

• Academic Transcripts
• Payroll/iSolved
• Employment Verification and Documents
• Student Financial Aid
• Insurance Information
• National Student Loan Data System
• Reporting to any entity external to Arcadia

The University is only able to amend systems to reflect an individual’s chosen first name. Systems must reflect an individual’s legal last name. For individuals who wish to legally change the name that appears on their birth certificate, including their first, middle, and/or last name, please visit the information page here.

To learn more about using a chosen name at Arcadia, please visit the information page here.

There are many scholarships available to queer and trans students in order to combat the systemic reasons LGBTQ+ students may be barred from higher education, including financial resources and limited family/personal community support. As our staff finds and verifies more scholarships, we will update this list.

There are several resources in the Philadelphia area to support queer and trans students, several are listed below. These organizations can provide a range of resources, including groups, mental health support, physical health, and legal advice. We have worked to ensure that this list also provides intersectional support to support all aspects of a queer and trans person's identity.

• Attic Youth Center - The Attic creates opportunities for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth to develop into healthy, independent, civic-minded adults within a safe and supportive community, and promotes the acceptance of LGBTQ youth in society. The Attic is proud to be Philadelphia's only independent LGBTQ youth center and to provide daily programs and services.
• GALAEI - Serving the Latinx community while widening our embrace, GALAEI now provides services, support, and advocacy for all Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (QTBIPOC) communities.
• GBLT National Help Center - Serving he lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning community by providing free & confidential peer-support and local resources.
• GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) - GLAAD works through entertainment, news, and digital media to share stories from the LGBTQ community that accelerate acceptance.
• HiTOPS - HiTOPS is a Princeton, NJ based LGBTQ+ youth center that offers a wide range of support for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, as well as parents and guardians.
• I Am: Trans People Speak - I AM: Trans People Speak is a project to raise awareness about the diversity that exists within transgender communities. It gives a voice to transgender individuals, as well as their families, friends, and allies.
• Lambda Legal - Lambda Legal provides impact litigation that works to protect and advance the rights of LGBT people and those with HIV. Additionally, they provide high-impact education campaigns to help people exercise the rights they have and to build public support for equality, as well as advocate for public policy at the local, state, and federal levels to improve the lives of LGBT people, people affected by HIV, and their families and allies.
• Mazzoni Center - We provide quality comprehensive health and wellness services in an LGBTQ-focused environment, while preserving the dignity and improving the quality of life of the individuals we serve.
• National Center for Lesbian Rights - With a commitment to racial and economic justice and our community’s most vulnerable, NCLR is a leader at the forefront of advancing civil and human rights for LGBTQ individuals and their families through impact litigation, public policy, and public education.
• National Center for Transgender Equality - The National Center for Transgender Equality focuses on helping transgender people survive and thrive in their communities by providing dialogue on legal serrvices, racial and economic justice, and facilitating advocacy and peer mentorship groups for trans individuals and allies.
• Northwest Network of Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian, and Gay Survivors of Abuse - We support queer & trans survivors in reconnecting to their self-determination through advocacy-based counseling and community education.
• Planned Parenthood Doylestown Rainbow Room - LGBTQ+ youth programs provide a safe, supportive and empowering environment for LGBTQ+ youth. In our programs, teens and young adults can be themselves and experience the freedom of knowing they are accepted totally and without reservation. We provide community meetings every Wednesday from 6-8 pm, currently via Zoom. Open to all LGBTQ+ youth and allies ages 14-21. Every 4th Wednesday is open to ages 12-21.
• ROY G. BIV - Online community for LGBTQ+ children and allies in Doylestown. Follow on Instagram to join the community.
• Sylvia Rivera Law Project - The Sylvia Rivera Law Project works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination or violence.
• Task Force Transgender Civil Rights Project - Since it’s start in 2001, the Trans/Gender Non-Conforming Justice Project has been a leader in addressing the needs of the trans* (transgender and gender noncomforming people) community through the expansion of rights in the legislative and policy arenas.
• The Audre Lorde Project-Transjustice - The Audre Lorde Project is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color community organizing center, focusing on the New York City area.
• The Network La Red - The Network/La Red is a survivor-led, social justice organization that works to end partner abuse in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, BDSM, polyamorous, and queer communities. Rooted in anti-oppression principles, our work aims to create a world where all people are free from oppression. We strengthen our communities through organizing, education, and the provision of support services.
• Transgender Law Center - Transgender Law Center is the largest national trans-led organization advocating self-determination for all people. Grounded in legal expertise and committed to racial justice, we employ a variety of community-driven strategies to keep transgender and gender nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for liberation.
• Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund - Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is committed to ending discrimination based upon gender identity and expression and to achieving equality for transgender people through public education, test-case litigation, direct legal services, and public policy efforts.
• Trevor Project - 24/7 crisis support services to LGBTQ young people. Text, chat, or call anytime to reach a trained counselor.
• William Way LGBT Community Center - The William Way LGBT Community Center serves the LGBTQIA+ community of Philadelphia and its allies 365 days a year. From social groups, networking events, and counseling and support services to art exhibitions and cultural experiences, the Center consistently strives to provide new and innovative programs for the LGBTQIA+ communities throughout Greater Philadelphia.