Spelman College to consider admitting transgender students

Spelman College’s president is convening a task force to provide recommendations on whether the all-women’s, historically black college will admit transgender students.

President Mary Schmidt Campbell included the information in a welcome back letter to the campus community on Thursday and posted on the private school's website.

Spelman is the latest prestigious women's college to consider admitting transgender students. Other institutions, including Barnard College in New York City and the other members of The Seven Sisters association of historical woman's institutions in the northeast have already enacted policies admitting those students.

The transgender task force is one of two Campbell is creating to review campus issues. A separate emergency planning committee has been tasked with developing polices and procedures for the campus to follow in emergencies. The task force considering transgender students will be headed by Spelman’s vice president of enrollment management.

Reports from both groups are expected by the end of the school year.

Spelman’s first day of fall classes begin Wednesday, August 17.