What is the Gender-Inclusive Housing option?
Residential Life makes housing assignments by matching students who share the same assigned sex at birth and by reviewing roommate preference questions provided in the housing application. Gender-Inclusive Housing is an optional process. When students opt in, Residential Life places them in rooms without considering each student’s assigned sex at birth. This includes when empty bed spaces need to be filled during the academic year.
Students who opt into Gender-Inclusive Housing will provide their gender identity and the gender identities that they are comfortable sharing a bedroom with. Then, Residential Life will make every attempt to place students into a shared bedroom space according to their preferences. If a space cannot be found that meets the student’s preferences, a student of any gender identity may be assigned to their bedroom/suite/apartment.
What kind of housing is available in the Gender-Inclusive Housing option?
The vast majority of rooms available to first-year students are shared bedrooms (double bedrooms). There are few single occupancy bedrooms. Continuing students taking part in Gender-Inclusive Housing can be assigned to any suite or apartment space they would already be eligible to live in. All rooms in the Gender-Inclusive Housing option share a bathroom within a suite or apartment.
Gender-Inclusive Housing spaces are not placed within one floor or community and change each academic year. Students taking part in Gender-Inclusive Housing receive assignments with no additional preference compared to other students within their class.
Who is eligible to take part in Gender-Inclusive Housing?
All students who can benefit from or provide a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment for gender expansive students are encouraged to take part in the Gender- Inclusive Housing option.
How do I opt into Gender-Inclusive Housing?
GIH is available for all students to take part in while completing their Housing Application in the Housing Portal. Students taking part will be asked to designate which gender identities they are comfortable sharing a living space with. All students assigned to a Gender-Inclusive Housing space must opt into Gender-Inclusive Housing.
It is highly recommended students that wish to take part in Gender-Inclusive Housing complete their application before the administrative assignment process begins, as placements are made on a rolling basis as spaces are available. Students who take part in GIH can take part in roommate grouping, but it is recommended that all students within their roommate group opt in to GIH to avoid complications should a space open within their suite/apartment in the future.
What if I don’t want my gender identity shared with other students?
Providing your gender identity as part of Gender-Inclusive Housing does not make that information available to other students, and it is not displayed as a part of your roommate profile.
Looking for a community created for LGBTQIA+ students?
The Kaleidoscope Living Learning Community provides a safe and affirming space for LGBTQIA+ students who choose to live in Residential Life housing. To learn more about Kaleidoscope and the Living Learning Community application process, visit the Living Learning Community page of our website linked here.