Spring Break
ResLife Shakes It Up With Co-Ed Experiment
Kate King
Issue date: 11/26/07 Section: News
For Berk, gender-neutral housing means not having to have an awkward conversation about her sexuality with a new roommate when the two connect at the end of the summer to discuss who will be bringing the refrigerator.
"It's nice living with someone who you know is comfortable with who you are," Berk said.
In the future Reslife hopes to expand gender-neutral housing to include more than one suite, according to Armstrong. All future plans for expansion of the program will be based on need and interest demonstrated by the UConn student body.
"Twenty to 40 students might be ideal," Armstrong said. "it really depends on interest."
Armstrong said it is too early in the decision making process to give many concrete details regarding the future of gender-neutral housing. However, Armstrong believes that the housing will be initially open to only returning students, not freshman.
While gender-neutral housing is a new program at UConn, it has been implemented in several other schools across the country, according to Armstrong.
"We're not as cutting edge as we might seem," Armstrong said, adding that schools such as Ithaca College, the University of Colorado and the University of Massachusetts all have gender-neutral housing.
At the Wesleyan University, gender-neutral housing has been thoroughly incorporated into undergraduate housing, according to Wesleyan's assistant director for Residential Life Melissa Towers. Returning students aren't asked their gender when filling out housing forms and are free to live with whomever they want on campus.
The University of Pennsylvania also has provided the option of gender-neutral housing for undergraduate students, according to Ron Ozio, Pennsylvania's director of media relations. The number of students who live in this housing is small, less than two-tenths of 1 percent of the undergraduate class, according to Ozio. However, all upper-class students who are at least 18 years of age are eligible to live in gender-neutral housing.
Contact Kate King at Katherine.King@UConn.edu.
"It's nice living with someone who you know is comfortable with who you are," Berk said.
In the future Reslife hopes to expand gender-neutral housing to include more than one suite, according to Armstrong. All future plans for expansion of the program will be based on need and interest demonstrated by the UConn student body.
"Twenty to 40 students might be ideal," Armstrong said. "it really depends on interest."
Armstrong said it is too early in the decision making process to give many concrete details regarding the future of gender-neutral housing. However, Armstrong believes that the housing will be initially open to only returning students, not freshman.
While gender-neutral housing is a new program at UConn, it has been implemented in several other schools across the country, according to Armstrong.
"We're not as cutting edge as we might seem," Armstrong said, adding that schools such as Ithaca College, the University of Colorado and the University of Massachusetts all have gender-neutral housing.
At the Wesleyan University, gender-neutral housing has been thoroughly incorporated into undergraduate housing, according to Wesleyan's assistant director for Residential Life Melissa Towers. Returning students aren't asked their gender when filling out housing forms and are free to live with whomever they want on campus.
The University of Pennsylvania also has provided the option of gender-neutral housing for undergraduate students, according to Ron Ozio, Pennsylvania's director of media relations. The number of students who live in this housing is small, less than two-tenths of 1 percent of the undergraduate class, according to Ozio. However, all upper-class students who are at least 18 years of age are eligible to live in gender-neutral housing.
Contact Kate King at Katherine.King@UConn.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
cypher66
Red
posted 2/14/08 @ 1:40 PM EST
This is idea is pretty ridiculous. Could you imagine asking you cousin or sister to free up the room for the night so you can have your girlfriend over. (Continued…)
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