Claudette Riley

CRILEY@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Citing confusion over the city's flip-flop, Missouri State University seeks to put in writing that it will not discriminate based on gender identity or gender expression.

Following the April repeal of the city's fairly new Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity ordinance, MSU officials said many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members of the campus expressed confusion about whether they would still be protected from discrimination.

To clarify its position and reassure faculty, staff and students, MSU officials proposed adding six categories to the university's nondiscrimination policy. Those categories include: marital status, family status, pregnancy, gender identity and gender expression.

The MSU Board of Governors is expected to approve the policy expansion at its Friday meeting at Plaster Student Union.

"We're updating the policy as terminology and situations change," said Suzanne Shaw, vice president of marketing and communication. "We're bringing the language up to date to where we are in the world today and to make the language more accurate."

The current policy was developed to emphasize the "dignity and equality common to all persons."

The policy, which has long prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex or gender, also lists sexual orientation as one of the protected categories, and that would not change under the proposed revision.

Other areas also singled out include race, color, religion, sex, age, disability and veteran status.

As part of the longstanding policy, the university created a grievance policy for faculty, staff and students who believe they have been discriminated against.

Free speech zones

The Missouri State University board is also expected to approve a tweak to its Expressive Action Policy, which protects and sets parameters for the exercise of free speech and expression on campus.

The policy currently allows amplification equipment — such as microphones and megaphones — near the Bear Paw, Trottier Plaza and Strong Hall Amphitheater, all of which are near academic buildings or the Meyer Library.

A proposed policy tweak would prohibit the use of amplification equipment in those areas during the university's final exam periods.

MSU officials said students complained the noise was distracting while they were studying or taking final exams.

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