Editorial | A practical solution

Universities around the country have long struggled with how to best meet the needs of minority groups.

Case in point: the controversy over single-sex exercise facilities. While some religious groups have requested such spaces, Harvard's policy of shutting off an entire gym for female-only exercise is both unnecessary and unreasonable.

Luckily, Penn can adopt a more moderate solution. Instead of closing the gym to males, Penn should consider opening up a room in Pottruck for female-only exercise, during off-peak hours.

Practically speaking, there's no real harm to other Penn students if the University makes it easier for women who, in co-ed settings, wear clothing not conducive to exercising because of religious reasons.

Of course, officials would need to ensure that such accommodations don't inconvenience other users. The majority of Penn students, who are comfortable exercising in a co-ed setting, shouldn't have to sacrifice exercise time to accommodate those who prefer single-sex settings.

Still, it's unlikely that such a minor move would directly harm other students and it would provide tangible benefits to some religious groups on campus. The University already recognizes that some women are more comfortable exercising in single-sex settings by providing women-only swimming hours on Sundays at the pool.

If Penn can meet the needs of more students without harming others, why not?

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