LinkNews of the policy's amendment reached Swarthmore students in an e-mail sent from the Equal Opportunity Office on March 5. With the new addition, the clause in question now states that characteristics related to "sex, race, color, age, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, medical condition, pregnancy, disability or any other legally protected status" are not grounds on which to discriminate against prospective students and employees of the college.
Since the student proposal was submitted almost two years ago, "there have been many changes nationwide," LaMar said. In fall of 2005, approximately 40 institutions, cities and counties in the United States included gender identity and expression in their respective nondiscrimination statements.
