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The Daily OrangeBTH | The Housing Project
Universities begin to institute gender neutral housing policies to meet requests of transgender community in dormitories.
By Katie Keating
Posted: 11/30/07, 1:04 AM EST Section: News
University housing on campuses nationwide is beginning to accommodate transgender students in a new way.
Colleges have begun to add "gender neutral" as a housing option. A gender neutral housing assignment would mean that both genders can live in the same dorm room, apartment, suite or any other type of living arrangement offered by the university.
Much of the pressure to change the housing system at universities stems from transgender persons, or people who do not consider themselves entirely male or female. These individuals might feel uncomfortable living with someone of the same sex and therefore would prefer living with someone of the opposite sex.
"It's an issue that we are all struggling with trying to find out what the best solution is," said Frances Koerting, director of residence life at Wesleyan University.
The Gender Public Advocacy Commission lists 30 college campuses that provide gender-neutral housing. Swarthmore College, Oberlin College and Wesleyan University are among the schools included.
Many other universities, such as Cornell University, have student governing bodies pushing for such housing.
Wesleyan University has employed various forms of gender-neutral housing for six years, Koerting said. The scenario that works best is including a box on the housing form that students can check if they would be more comfortable rooming with someone of the opposite sex, she said.
"It was specifically the transgender students that started it, but we have a larger group of students that are working with us each year as we try to refine the policy," Koerting said.
About four of about 750 incoming freshman have checked this box in the past two years, she said. These students typically choose single rooms, though they have the option of living with someone of a different gender.
Dartmouth University approved gender-neutral housing last year.
Murray MacDonald, associate director for undergraduate housing at Dartmouth, said that a combination of student pressure, a change in the times and a new clause in the discrimination act at Dartmouth that now covers any type of gender expression caused the change.
"The dean of our college kind of said, 'Maybe we should do something to make sure we are complying with that,'" MacDonald said.
The first group of gender-neutral residents of dorms moved in at the beginning of fall 2007.
MacDonald estimated that 52 students live in a gender-neutral programming floor. Thirty-six students applied for a total of 16 open slots in the fall semester.
MacDonald said that even more students have applied to live on the floor during the 2007-08 winter term, and the student reaction to the new option has been positive.
"As far as the residence halls, it seems to be just another living option that students accept and are happy with," MacDonald said.
Dorms instituted co-ed dorms in the 1960s and 1970s, but not all colleges have made the transition. The state of Mississippi mandates that its eight public institutions provide only single-sex dormitories.
"That is an issue that has to be approved by the state board of higher education, and there have been attempts before to do that, but at this time, they are not allowing it," said Lorinda Krhut, director for residential housing at the University of Mississippi.
But students still seem content with the housing at Ole Miss, Krhut said. The housing department has yet to be contacted by transgender students about possible changes.
Most of the students that live on campus are freshmen, so they do not know anything different, Krhut said.
"(Students) haven't really voiced that much concern," Krhut said. "They would like to have co-residential housing, I am sure. But it is not an issue that has been strongly pushed forward by our student population."
Koerting, from Wesleyan, said the student reaction to gender-neutral housing options has been positive. The option communicates to people that Wesleyan has a diverse student body and that the university can understand and accommodate it, she said.
Students are responding optimistically at Dartmouth, too, according to MacDonald. He said the university will continue to aid students in the housing that best fits them.
"I think we will constantly re-evaluate the program to see what is working and what is not working. If there is a demand for it, we would expand it. If there isn't, we would probably go with the status quo."
Colleges have begun to add "gender neutral" as a housing option. A gender neutral housing assignment would mean that both genders can live in the same dorm room, apartment, suite or any other type of living arrangement offered by the university.
Much of the pressure to change the housing system at universities stems from transgender persons, or people who do not consider themselves entirely male or female. These individuals might feel uncomfortable living with someone of the same sex and therefore would prefer living with someone of the opposite sex.
"It's an issue that we are all struggling with trying to find out what the best solution is," said Frances Koerting, director of residence life at Wesleyan University.
The Gender Public Advocacy Commission lists 30 college campuses that provide gender-neutral housing. Swarthmore College, Oberlin College and Wesleyan University are among the schools included.
Many other universities, such as Cornell University, have student governing bodies pushing for such housing.
Wesleyan University has employed various forms of gender-neutral housing for six years, Koerting said. The scenario that works best is including a box on the housing form that students can check if they would be more comfortable rooming with someone of the opposite sex, she said.
"It was specifically the transgender students that started it, but we have a larger group of students that are working with us each year as we try to refine the policy," Koerting said.
About four of about 750 incoming freshman have checked this box in the past two years, she said. These students typically choose single rooms, though they have the option of living with someone of a different gender.
Dartmouth University approved gender-neutral housing last year.
Murray MacDonald, associate director for undergraduate housing at Dartmouth, said that a combination of student pressure, a change in the times and a new clause in the discrimination act at Dartmouth that now covers any type of gender expression caused the change.
"The dean of our college kind of said, 'Maybe we should do something to make sure we are complying with that,'" MacDonald said.
The first group of gender-neutral residents of dorms moved in at the beginning of fall 2007.
MacDonald estimated that 52 students live in a gender-neutral programming floor. Thirty-six students applied for a total of 16 open slots in the fall semester.
MacDonald said that even more students have applied to live on the floor during the 2007-08 winter term, and the student reaction to the new option has been positive.
"As far as the residence halls, it seems to be just another living option that students accept and are happy with," MacDonald said.
Dorms instituted co-ed dorms in the 1960s and 1970s, but not all colleges have made the transition. The state of Mississippi mandates that its eight public institutions provide only single-sex dormitories.
"That is an issue that has to be approved by the state board of higher education, and there have been attempts before to do that, but at this time, they are not allowing it," said Lorinda Krhut, director for residential housing at the University of Mississippi.
But students still seem content with the housing at Ole Miss, Krhut said. The housing department has yet to be contacted by transgender students about possible changes.
Most of the students that live on campus are freshmen, so they do not know anything different, Krhut said.
"(Students) haven't really voiced that much concern," Krhut said. "They would like to have co-residential housing, I am sure. But it is not an issue that has been strongly pushed forward by our student population."
Koerting, from Wesleyan, said the student reaction to gender-neutral housing options has been positive. The option communicates to people that Wesleyan has a diverse student body and that the university can understand and accommodate it, she said.
Students are responding optimistically at Dartmouth, too, according to MacDonald. He said the university will continue to aid students in the housing that best fits them.
"I think we will constantly re-evaluate the program to see what is working and what is not working. If there is a demand for it, we would expand it. If there isn't, we would probably go with the status quo."
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Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of California at Santa Barbara developed a new study that suggests "curvy" women score higher on intelligence tests and have smarter children than thinner women. The study looked at a waist-to-hip ratio compared to scores on cognitive tests. The researchers, William Lassek and Steven Gaulin, were initially interested in men's seeming preference for women with more curves as well as differences in fat distribution between genders.
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University traditions raise questions
At the University of Mississippi, several traditions and symbols link the campus to the Confederate South, such as a cheer song that says, "The South will rise again." In recent years, students, faculty and administration at the school have attempted to sever the ties between the campus pride and confederate references. A former Mississippi governor had brought up the use Rebel confederate flag at the football stadium. The flag was eventually removed, along with the mascot Colonel Rebel. But some traditions, like the cheer song, still remain in use for school functions.
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A fire that killed University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student on Nov. 18 was believed to be caused by smoking materials, which set a couch aflame. The student, Peter Talen, was visiting his brother at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The house fire was the third smoking-related fire in 2007 that resulted in a fatality. Investigators said the house had no working smoke detectors at the time of the fire. It is not yet known if alcohol played a role in the fire, though 40 percent of fire fatalities are a result of alcohol consumption, according to the Madison Fire Department.
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A sex-themed magazine at Harvard University recently regained status as a recognized student group. The magazine, H Bomb, lost its status this past spring after just two issues. The publication was known for printing photos of naked undergraduate students. As an official student group, H Bomb can receive grant money, advertise and distribute on campus and use the Harvard name. H Bomb plans to produce 10,000 copies by Feb. 14.
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