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Connecticut colleges pass new transgender student rules

The Connecticut state Board of Regents recently adopted a policy allowing students at all state colleges to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their “gender identity.”

The Hartford Courant reports that the Board of Regents—which has authority over the state’s four universities, twelve community colleges and Charter Oak State College— also passed a rule allowing students in the state’s college and university system to “identify themselves by their preferred first name, including on student ID cards.”

Mark Ojakian, the president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, stated that “Transgender students are part of the CSCU community and we want to make sure they feel valued and empowered to pursue their education. These policies are aligned with our core values and our history as an institution.”

From the story:

Ojakian also sent a letter to the presidents of all 17 campuses in the CSCU system, pledging that “Our transgender students will continue to have their fundamental civil rights protected here in Connecticut, regardless of what Washington says.”

In a statement released Monday, [Connecticut governor Dannel] Malloy said, “Discrimination, harassment, and bullying have no place in our classrooms or at our schools. I applaud the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities for taking this important step.”

Earlier this year the student advisory committee to the regents requested that the board address the issue of students using their preferred name on campus. The new policy allows students to use their preferred name on all documents that are not legal. That includes course rosters, student ID cards, email addresses and any honors or awards.

The new rule comes a few months after Gov. Malloy signed an executive order strengthening protections for transgender students in Connecticut’s public schools and state colleges.

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