Students begin applying for gender-neutral housing

As the on-campus housing application process gets under way, students, college house staff and administrators are dealing with the implementation of the new gender-neutral housing policy, which was adopted in early December.

To take advantage of the opportunity to live with those of another gender, students must undergo a separate housing application process. Those interested are required to appear in person at the Housing Conference Services office and sign an agreement giving consent to live in a gender-neutral setting.

The policy -- which was initially brought up as a way to meet the needs of LGBT students on campus -- does not apply to incoming freshmen or students under 18 years of age.

Civic House Associate Coalition co-Chair and College senior Bradley Breuer, who helped spark the debate over gender-neutral housing in early 2003 by requesting to live with a female friend, expressed concern about the separate application process.

"The separate process perpetuates the inequality of housing" he said. "It is designed to make people who want co-ed housing jump through extra hoops. The question should simply be: who are you and who do you want to live with?"

However, Wharton junior Kelsey Schwenk, who has decided to live with two other females and one male next year, described the process as relatively simple.

"I went to my GA and said that I wanted to retain a room, and she talked to housing. I just have to fill out an extra form," she said.

Neither Schwenk nor any of her future roommates are lesbian or gay.

Though Nichols did not cite specifics about the number of students who have expressed interest in the policy, he said that "a number of inquiries for next year" have been made.

Breuer said he thinks that many students may not be aware of the policy due to a lack of publicity on the part of the University.

"When Housing and Conferences Services wants to make a new policy, and they are excited about it, they make it a very public process," he said. "My sense is Housing is not proud of its new policy and is not promoting it to students and the University well enough. They should not hide from things that are bold, new or innovative."

Breuer said that he was dismayed by how few details he knew about the new policy. "If the person who started the entire process is unaware, what does that say about the rest of the community?"

Nichols said that the publicity the gender-neutral policy has received on campus has been sufficient to inform students about the option.

"It certainly hasn't been a secret," said Nichols. The Daily Pennsylvanian "has run stories about it, the UA has talked about it an awful lot. You think there is a single person on campus who doesn't know about this?"

Nichols said that while the policy is not in print or online because it is so new, it will appear on the housing web site and in residential books and brochures in Fall 2005.

For now, Nichols said the best way to let people know about the policy is by informing residential advisers, graduate associates, and college house deans about the option.

Spruce College House Dean Marilynne Diggs-Thompson said that she has copied the information she received on gender-neutral housing and posted it on bulletin boards around Spruce House. She has also informed her RAs and GAs and published the information in her in-house lottery packet. So far, she said she has received "a few inquiries, but nothing overwhelming."

Nichols said that while gender-neutral housing helps address some of the issues of the gay community on campus, it is meant to benefit all students.

"Students who move off campus constitute living groups without reference to gender," Nichols said. "Our communities should reflect the way people choose to live."

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