ASU is one step closer to offering gender-neutral housing options on the Tempe campus.
The Residence Hall Association at the Tempe campus passed legislation on Sept. 22 permitting the group to send a letter to the University in support of gender-neutral housing, according to an Undergraduate Student Government press release. The legislation passed with a 24-7 vote.
RHA is joining the yearlong partnership of USG, the LGBTQA Coalition and University Housing in support of launching the pilot program in fall 2012, according to the release.
Gender-neutral housing allows for students of different genders to live in the same room together. Some universities offer the option as a way for transgender students to feel more comfortable with those they live with.
Under the ASU program, gender-neutral rooms would be in every residence hall on the Tempe campus so that all applicants have the option.
“I think (the gender neutral housing program) is important because of the gender variance in the student population,” said history junior Nick Rice, director of campus affairs for RHA. “Some students feel more comfortable in a gender-neutral environment and it’s more accepting of the LGBTQA lifestyle.”
RHA has been in close contact with USG and the LGBTQA Coalition for the last year, Rice said. The program’s details are still being finalized.
There are some concerns surrounding the program, such as two romantically involved students living together in the same room — a situation the program highly discourages.
“Having two romantically involved students could cause a lot of trouble in both people’s personal and academic lives,” Rice said. “The problem is right now there is no screening process or penalties for that.”
In order for a student to be eligible for gender-neutral housing, he or she must request a student to live with, according to the release.
“The motivation (for the gender-neutral housing program) was to make the residential experience the best it can be, and we try to improve that experience every year,” Rice said.
Should the legislation go into effect next fall, ASU will be joining UA and five other PAC-12 schools that offer gender-neutral university housing, according to the release.
Reach the reporter at doberhau@asu.edu
Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
