The University is making the option of gender-inclusive housing assignments available to sophomores, juniors and seniors in the College. Upper-class students can now choose to live in a double room or double room in a suite with someone of a different gender or gender expression.
The new policy is aimed at fostering a residential experience that is welcoming and supportive of all gender identities, as well as gives students greater flexibility to have a roommate with whom they are most comfortable.
The University now joins more than 200 colleges and universities in the U.S. that offer gender-inclusive housing, including Cornell University, Case Western Reserve University, RIT, and SUNY Geneseo.
Currently, the Office for Residential Life and Housing Services permits mixed-gender groups to live together in on-campus suites and apartments. The new option extends this to double rooms and suite double rooms on co-ed floors; there is no limit on the number of students who can use it. Only students who mutually request each other as roommates will be given these assignments in the housing lottery. Consistent with the other University housing policies, students in a romantic relationship are discouraged from being roommates through this option.
Upper-class students can inquire about this possibility for the fall 2017 semester by visiting the Residential Life Office located in 020 Gates Wing, Susan B. Anthony Hall. Moving forward, the annual housing assignment process will include a gender-inclusive roommate option. Residential Life and Housing Services already works very closely with trans, gender variant, and gender non-conforming students on a case-by-case basis to ensure that appropriate accommodations are made for them according to their needs.
The gender-inclusive housing policy does not apply to first-year students.
