Residence Life and Housing is committed to working with all students to meet their housing needs in an environment that values diversity and promotes dignity of all people.
What Is Gender-Inclusive Housing?
Gender-inclusive housing is an option in which students share a suite regardless of the students' sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Gender-inclusive suites give students the option to reside with a person of different gender identity or expression in order to provide a welcoming living environment.
Living in a gender-inclusive suite means that you may be sharing a quad and/or bedroom with a person who identifies differently than you. This option is available at both of our housing locations. While we do our best to meet every students' needs, we cannot guarantee that all requests will be honored, as space will be determined based on the amount of people who select gender-inclusive housing.
Gender-inclusive housing provides a safe, affirming, and inclusive community living option for students of the following identities and lived experiences:
- Members of the LGBTQ+ community
- Transgender students
- Genderqueer students
- Students who are currently transitioning from one gender to another (i.e. transitioning from male to female or female to male)
- Students who do not conform to society’s expectations of their assigned gender at birth
- Students who do not wish to be identified by any sex or gender identity
- Students who are in the process of discovering their gender identity
- Students who appreciate and respect people with the above identities and lived experiences, and who would prefer to live in a community comprised of such
As part of our commitment to provide an affirming and inclusive environment, we hold the following community standards for those who select gender-inclusive housing:
- Modeling behavior that reflects a positive value and respect for gender as a non-binary construct (human beings are not necessarily male or female as ascribed by their assigned sex at birth)
- Openness and commitment to develop one’s own understanding about gender identity, sexual orientation, and other differences
- Working to create and promote a safe, affirming, and inclusive community for all students
- Use of inclusive and socially just language and the preferred names and gender pronouns of community members
- Education of guests about the values and community expectations of the gender inclusive community
How to Apply
You may indicate your interest in gender-inclusive housing in your student housing application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gender-inclusive housing is not intended for romantic couples. Residence Life and Housing strongly encourages students to reconsider living with a person with whom they are romantically involved. Although we advise students against doing so, we do not ask or collect information that would disclose relationship status when requesting roommates.
Residence Life and Housing first sorts students by their interest in gender-inclusive housing. The next step is matching students based on the roommate preference questions within the application. We do our best to honor as many gender inclusive suites as possible.
If a student moves out mid semester, the space will remain a gender inclusive suite. A roommate can be added to the space at any time, so the space should remain clean and cleared. Before moving in, the student would be notified that the space is gender inclusive. Advanced notice will be given to the remaining roommates in the suite, if the new student decides to move in.
Residence Life and Housing highly encourage students to have an open conversation with their parent/legal guardian regarding their housing decisions and what is most comfortable with them. Students over the age of 18 are legally able to make decisions regarding their housing agreement without parental consent. Students under 18 will need parental consent as they complete their housing application. Residence Life and Housing is happy to meet with students and their parent/legal guardian to discuss what each option means to find the best fit.