At an informational meeting on Tuesday, students asked representatives from Gender Neutral MSU for details about the proposed gender-neutral housing option at MSU.
The meeting was the first of six intended to educate the MSU community about a proposed policy allowing students to live with one another regardless of gender affiliation. Informational sessions will be held throughout the next few weeks for students, faculty and staff who want to learn more about the proposed policy.
Students questioned some logistics of the program, including where gender-neutral housing options might be available and which dorms might have the option.
A gender-neutral housing program initially would be implemented on existing co-ed floors, co-chair of Gender Neutral MSU Nick Pfost said. This might make the proposed policy “more palatable to some of the administration and the alumni” because it will be put in place where students of different genders already interact on a regular basis, he added.
Representatives addressed potential concerns community members might have about students in relationships living together and the possibility of sexual and domestic violence.
Common myths about a new housing policy also were addressed, including how this option would affect students who don’t want to live in gender-neutral housing.
“It’s simply one option on a list of others,” co-chair Rachel Skylis said.
“There’s no reason why anyone would ever be forced to do it.”
Maintaining single-sex living options is important to make all students on campus feel comfortable, Pfost said.
Members of Gender Neutral MSU also discussed a possible pilot program they are hoping to implement in fall 2012. Although they haven’t received formal word from President Lou Anna K. Simon at this point, members hope she will respond by the end of the semester, Pfost said. Ultimately, the decision to provide gender-neutral housing options for students is up to the administration, he added.
After the informational session, attendees were asked to complete an evaluation form rating the meeting. Members will use the feedback to tailor upcoming sessions to better meet students’ needs, said Ian Morrison, a Student Gender Neutral Housing Coalition member.
Currently, some students and community members have misconceptions about the program that might be clarified during the informational sessions, said Dylan Evans, an Arabic freshman who attended the meeting.
“I think more people would support it if they actually knew more about what the program was,” he said.
Sessions will be held in each of the campus neighborhoods in the upcoming two weeks. The next informational session will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday in Room 133 Akers Hall.
_For more information and other upcoming dates, visit the Gender
Neutral MSU Facebook page. _
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
