On February 15th, 2019, the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus sent an email announcing the designation of inclusive bathrooms across campus. The letter explains that its decision is based on the Policy Against Discrimination in the University of Puerto Rico, Certification Number 58 2004-2005. In addition, the letter also emphasizes that the inclusion and respect of diversity should always be encouraged in academic institutions. To accomplish this, the acting chancellor, Dr. Luis A. Ferrao, proposes 2-phase work plan that includes training employees of the Security Division and Risk Management, all staff and personnel alongside student body and all university community. This phase will be put in works in the next months.
The second phase will include the designation of inclusive bathrooms, which will occur to the bathrooms of the first floor of ten buildings. This phase will be completed between February and May of 2019. There are 10 buildings in which the bathrooms will be implemented: Jaime Benítez, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Fase 2, Escuela de Arquitectura, Luis Palés Matos, Ramón Emeterio Betances, Carmen Rivera Alvarado, Ana María O’Neill, Juan José Osuna, Centro Universitario, Facultad de Educación.
This change comes exceptionally fast and in the right moment, especially since the first and last student assembly the Rio Piedras campus held this semester made it an important speaking point to act on gender inclusive policies, especially since there had been past incidents of trans students being harassed by security officers for using bathrooms that “were not for them”. Hopefully, this is the beginning of the implementation of policies that make everyone feel safe in what should be an inclusive educational environment.