The University is in the final stages of fine-tuning a proposal that would grant students the opportunity to choose roommates of any gender. The practice -- known as gender-neutral housing -- will take effect in the upcoming academic year.
The option will not directly appear on housing applications forms or University publications, but it will be publicized through various other means -- including residential advisers and graduate associates, college house deans and numerous organizations on campus.
By offering the option of gender-neutral housing, the University is taking a step forward in the implementation of the gender identity clause within its non-discrimination policy. A gender-neutral housing initiative has been an important focus for the LGBT community on campus over the past few years.
Students seeking gender-neutral housing on campus will have to place an additional request with Housing and Conference Services. All students, with the exception of incoming freshmen and those under 18 years of age, will be able to apply.
"Gender-neutral [housing] is not a sexual orientation issue, it's a personal preference issue," said Undergraduate Assembly Chairman Jason Levine, whose organization passed a proposal advocating gender-neutral housing about a year ago.
"In today's society there is no reason why someone should not be living with whom he or she feels most comfortable living with and this is what this policy allows."
He added that this was a commendable first step for the University to take and that the UA will do its part to publicize the new opportunities available to undergraduates.
Still, some activists say that this is a good first step, but Penn officials must go further.
Civic House Associate Coalition Chair and College senior Bradley Breuer believes the system must be widely accessible for everyone.
"If you don't fit into this male-male or female-female mechanism ... you have to circumvent the normal process," he said. "In my mind that's discriminatory. ... Basically, we have struck a shady compromise."
Breuer added that a truly non-discriminatory policy would not create a separate process, but simply allow all students to freely choose the person they want to live with regardless of that student's gender. The fact that students have this choice should be highly visible and widely publicized, he added.
Faculty Director of College Houses and Academic Services Phil Nichols said that Penn sees this as a first step and plans to adjust to the situation as students begin to take advantage of the new opportunities in the upcoming years.He added that, despite this new change, the majority of rooming assignments will remain same-sex for the foreseeable future.
With this decision, Penn joins the ranks of many of its peer institutions, including Harvard and Yale universities, who already have similar policies in place.
The possibility of gender-neutral housing had been discussed for over two years before the latest development. The process was prolonged because the issue had to be aired among various University constituencies including the Board of Trustees, various alumni groups and members of the administration. The logistics surrounding the adjustment of the housing system have also been complex.
But Breuer, who was central in bringing visibility to this issue, said that he was shocked that there was no task force originally made specifically to address this issue. As a result, he said, this was a policy crafted behind closed doors.
