Bryn Mawr College clarifies its admissions guidelines on transgender students

Bryn Mawr College clarified its admissions guidelines to accept transgender women and "intersex individuals who live and identify as women at the time of application," the college said Monday.

The board of trustees at the women's college voted on Saturday to make the change, accepting the recommendation from a campus group who had been studying the issue for months at the request of Bryn Mawr President Kim Cassidy. More than 60 Bryn Mawr students and alumni had signed an open letter to administrators asking that the campus be made more welcoming to transgender students and that they be encouraged to apply.

A faculty and staff committee will review and update the college's admissions policy to reflect the board's action, and those changes will be in effect for applications received for the class of fall 2016.

In clarifying its guidelines, the college said intersex individuals who do not identify as male also are eligible for admission. Those who were female at birth but have taken medical or legal steps to identify as a male will not be accepted, the college said.

"In cases where an applicant's gender identity is not clearly reflected in their application materials, the college may request additional information, which could include verifiable legal or medical steps taken to affirm gender," the school said. "In evaluating such additional information, the college fully intends to be as flexible and inclusive as possible."

Bryn Mawr is among women's colleges around the country examining their policies on transgender students.