Penn allows returning students and incoming exchange and transfer students to room on campus with a student of the opposite sex. However, freshmen are not currently included in this policy.
The Undergraduate Assembly, the Lambda Alliance and the Residential Advisory Board opened discussion with administrators this month on revising the policy to give new students the option of gender-neutral housing.
College junior and UA secretary Cynthia Ip said incoming freshmen cannot request to be placed in a gender-neutral room. However, returning students and exchange and transfer students can make the request in two ways: they can request to be randomly assigned to a co-ed room, or they can follow a procedure to be roomed with a specific individual of the opposite sex.
She added that while a “very, very small” number of students on campus might prefer gender-neutral housing during their first year at Penn, she believes they should have the opportunity.
“This is something that I don’t think students are aware of yet,” Ip said of the existing policy.
The policy is administered by College Houses and Academic Services. To change it, offices on campus such as the Office of the President and the Provost’s Office will have to be on board.
Wharton and Engineering junior and Lambda Alliance Chairman Tyler Ernst is optimistic about the project.
“I don’t foresee any opposition,” he said.
In addition to a policy change, he hopes to see more transparency about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-related concerns in Penn Housing Services literature.
Currently, he said, there is no formalized system for transgender students to apply for gender-neutral housing. Students with specific housing requests must make “a series of phone calls” to CHAS, Resident Assistants and other housing departments to state their case. Ernst is working to implement a “low-input high-impact” effort for housing services to address these needs directly.
“Why make everyone jump through these hurdles?” he said.
He explained that gender-neutral housing for freshmen has been on Lambda’s agenda for a long time and that he brought the concern to the UA earlier this year.
The students behind the initiative hope to see changes in time for the Class of 2016.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.