UCLA

I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE 

The University of California Guidelines for Providing Gender Inclusive Facilities (“UC Guidelines”) provides direction on the implementation of Gender Inclusive Facilities in UC-owned buildings. The UC Guidelines were adopted into the UC Facilities Manual, a document that catalogs systemwide policies, procedures, and guidelines for facilities management, construction and operations.

This Policy sets forth the requirements that will guide UCLA efforts toward Gender Inclusive Facilities and establishes the process to request a hardship waiver for Renovations. This Policy applies to UCLA-owned facilities (Restrooms, Changing Rooms, and Showers); including conversion and new construction, existing and renovated facilities, and privatized projects developed on UCLA-owned land where the project is to be used for University related purposes. In addition, this Policy outlines the requirements to provide Single-Occupancy Restrooms and Multi-Occupancy Gender Inclusive Restrooms via conversion, renovation and new construction. Campus units and auxiliaries with responsibility for planning, developing or operating UC-owned building space are required to comply with this Policy.

While this Policy does not extend to UCLA-leased facilities, evaluation of the availability of Gender Inclusive Facilities will occur when beginning or renewing leases, especially when UCLA leases more than 50% of a building or leases a building for 10 years or longer. 

II. DEFINITIONS     

For the purposes of this Policy:

Changing Room is a room in which one or more persons partially or fully disrobe and re-dress, this includes locker rooms.

Gender Identity is an individual’s sense of oneself as male, female, transgender, nonbinary, genderfluid or gender non-conforming, regardless if that identity differs from the individual’s sex assigned at birth. Gender Inclusive Facility, sometimes referred to as “Gender Neutral Facility” or “All Gender Facility,” is a facility, including a Restroom, Shower, and Changing Room, that is usable by persons of all Gender Identities. 

Gender Inclusive Restroom (GIRR) is a restroom that is usable by persons of all Gender Identities.  A GIRR can be a Single- Occupancy or Multi-Occupancy Restroom.

Gender Specific Facility is a facility that includes a Restroom, Shower, or Changing Room, designated for use by one gender (e.g., male or female).

Major Renovation is a renovation exceeding 50% of the replacement cost of the area being renovated.

Multi-Occupancy Restroom sometimes referred to as “Multi-Stall Restroom” is a facility with more than one Plumbing Fixture, which more than one person can use at a time. Each toilet stall will have a locking mechanism to ensure privacy.

Plumbing Fixture is an exchangeable device such as a toilet, urinal or sink which is connected to a building’s plumbing system.

Renovation is a modification to an existing Restroom, Shower or Changing Room that involves any mechanical or electrical alterations or alterations to any Plumbing Fixture, partition or any other accessory.

Restroom is any facility equipped with toilets, urinals, sinks, and/or other similar facilities, that is for use by the public for personal hygiene and comfort.  “In a public facility” and “for use by the public” in this context covers essentially all UCLA facilities (e.g., Restrooms, Changing Rooms, and Showers), except for facilities located within private residences or apartments, within dormitory suites, or in areas not accessible to the public.

Shower is a space in which one or more persons bathe or shower. 

Single-Occupancy Restroom is a facility with a toilet, sink, and may include a urinal, and has a locking mechanism on the entry door to ensure privacy.

UCLA-Owned Building is a building that is owned by UCLA, including off-campus buildings and buildings designed and/or built by third parties that are to become the property of UCLA upon completion. 

III. POLICY STATEMENT

UCLA is strongly committed to creating and sustaining a campus environment that supports and values all members of our community, including visitors. This Policy focuses on providing a safe environment, consistent with the UCLA Principles of Community and efforts aimed at civility and respect. Gender inclusion requires providing access and equality by creating an environment that is safe, accessible, and respectful of all individuals.  One aspect of creating an inclusive environment is the availability of safe, accessible, and convenient facilities for all individuals.

All Gender Inclusive Facilities will provide privacy and security for the individual user and include spaces and Plumbing Fixtures equivalent to Gender Specific Facilities.

A. Existing Facilities

Facilities Management (FM) will maintain an accurate list of Gender Inclusive Facilities in the campus space database, on the FM website, and identify the locations of all Gender Inclusive Facilities on the interactive campus map.  FM will update the list of Gender Inclusive Facilities and related campus map no less than once every six months.

1. Conversion of  Existing Gender Specific Single-Occupancy Restrooms

In accordance with the UC Guidelines, UCLA will convert all existing, Single-Occupancy Gender Specific Restrooms in UCLA-Owned Buildings to Gender Inclusive Restrooms (GIRR).  These conversions will generally require no more than replacing gender specific signage with gender inclusive signage. Conversions that are accomplished by signage alone are not considered Renovations.

2. Conversion of Existing Gender Specific Multi-Occupancy Restrooms

Conversion of an existing Gender Specific Multi-Occupancy Restroom to Multi-Occupancy GIRR typically requires more than replacing signage and consequently involves a Renovation. Each building that undergoes such a Restroom Renovation is subsequently required to meet the California Plumbing Code (CPC). Buildings that meet the CPC may convert existing Gender Specific Multi-Occupancy Restrooms into Multi-Occupancy GIRRs. For the buildings that meet the criteria, the converted Multi-Occupancy GIRR will have a lock for privacy on each toilet stall and partitions that extend within 2 inches of the floor and ceiling. The entry and sink areas will be a common area with no lockable mechanism. The number of stalls will be determined based on physical constraints and project budget.

3. Buildings that Lack a GIRR

Some UCLA-Owned Buildings may lack any Single-Occupancy Restroom and therefore the conversion of all Single-Occupancy Gender Specific Restroom to a Single-Occupancy GIRR does not guarantee that every UCLA-Owned Building will contain a GIRR following conversion. 

If a UCLA-Owned Building lacks at least one GIRR following all signage conversions:

• Construction of a GIRR must be seriously considered;
   
• A building without a GIRR should be within two minutes of pedestrian travel time between building entrances that contains a GIRR; and
   
• FM will install a directional sign in a conspicuous location, approved by the Campus Architect and normally near the building’s main entrance, indicating the nearest UCLA-Owned Building with a GIRR.

B. New Construction

1. Restrooms

For Restrooms in UCLA-Owned Buildings beginning design on or after July 1, 2015, Capital Programs ensured the implementation of the UC Guidelines. For Restrooms in UCLA-Owned Buildings beginning design on or after January 1, 2019, Capital Programs will ensure the following:

The construction of at least one Multi-Occupancy GIRR in each UCLA-Owned Building. Typically these Multi-Occupancy GIRRs will be located on the first floor at the main entrance of the building. 

Additional GIRRs will depend on the parameters of the new building, including but not limited to California code requirements, occupant needs, program requirements, usable and contiguous space requirements, structural considerations, project cost, occupancy type and use.

For a Multi-Occupancy GIRR, each toilet stall will have a lock for privacy and partitions that extend within 2 inches of the floor and ceiling. The entry and sink areas will be a common area with no lockable mechanism. The number of stalls will be determined based on physical constraints and project budget.

All GIRRs will be accessible, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the CPC. 

2. Changing Rooms

For UCLA-Owned Buildings beginning design on or after July 1, 2015, Capital Programs will ensure the following:

The construction of at least one gender inclusive Changing Room in each location in the building where Changing Rooms are required or provided.  The gender inclusive Changing Room will be located such that the user does not need to leave the location to use the Changing Room and will have a lock for privacy. 

3. Showers

For UCLA-Owned Buildings beginning design on or after July 1, 2015, Capital Programs will ensure the following:

The construction of gender inclusive Showers in new buildings in which Showers are required or provided.  If the Shower(s) are located within a Changing Room, the gender inclusive Shower(s) will be located so the user does not need to leave the Changing Room to use the Shower and will have a lock for privacy.

C. Renovation

For UCLA-Owned Buildings beginning design on or after July 1, 2015, the campus will ensure the following:

1. Restrooms

For Major Renovations made to existing Restrooms or to one or more floors of an existing building that does not have at least one GIRR, the campus will provide a GIRR in the same building.

Depending on the parameters of the existing building, including but not limited to California code requirements, occupant needs, program requirements, usable and contiguous space requirements, structural considerations, project cost, occupancy type and use, the required GIRR could be Single-Occupancy or Multiple-Occupancy. If the Restroom is to be Multi-Occupancy, the Renovation criteria will be the same as the new construction criteria, as outlined in III. B.1. 

2. Changing Rooms

For Major Renovations to Changing Rooms, the campus will construct at least one gender inclusive private Changing Room in each location in any building where Changing Rooms are provided or when the Changing Room is Renovated and will have a lock for privacy. 

3. Showers

For Major Renovations to any building or when an existing Shower is Renovated, the campus will construct at least one Gender Inclusive Shower in each location in any building where Showers are provided or required.  The Shower(s) will be located within the Changing Room so the user does not need to leave the Changing Room to use the Shower(s) and will have a lock for privacy.

D. Signage

A Gender Inclusive Facility will be identified in a simple manner, utilizing the minimum signage required by the CPC and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. All Gender Inclusive Facilities will be identified by signage containing a triangle within a circle of contrasting color, without gender pictograms. In addition to this image, all Gender Inclusive Facilities will be marked by signage that identifies the facility as an “All Gender” facility.  For example, all GIRRs will have signage that states “All Gender Restroom.”

FM, in conjunction with the Campus Architect and Campus Building Official, is responsible for designing, manufacturing, and affixing signage to all Gender Inclusive Facilities. If an unapproved sign is affixed, installed or placed on UCLA property, FM is authorized to initiate a process to have it removed at the expense of the person(s) or unit that made the unauthorized placement.

E. Feedback

Any concerns, suggestions, or recommendations related to this Policy should be submitted to the Title IX Coordinator at 310-206-3417 or the Staff Diversity and Compliance Director at 310-794-0691. Any inquiries concerning facility construction, maintenance, or repair should be directed to the FM Trouble Call center using the on-line Trouble Call submission process at www.facilities.ucla.edu or by calling 310-825-9236.

IV. HARDSHIP WAIVERS 

In instances where hardship may preclude full compliance with this Policy, campus departments/units, through their respective Building Coordinator, may request that a waiver from this Policy be approved.  The waiver request form is provided as Attachment A.  The Chancellor has designated the Campus Building Official the authority to approve or disapprove hardship waivers and who will maintain a file of all waiver requests and provide waiver decisions to individual requestors through the respective Building Coordinator.  Building Coordinator assignments may be obtained by contacting Facilities Management at 310-206-4241.

V. REFERENCES

1. University of California Guidelines for Providing Gender Inclusive Facilities;
    
2. UCLA Principles of Community;
    
3. California Building Code (CBC);
    
4. 2010 Standards for Accessible Design (ADA).
    

VI. ATTACHMENTS