In an effort to increase housing options for their constituents, Student Union passed a resolution Wednesday supporting mixed gender housing on campus. If the mixed gender option is implemented by Residential Life (ResLife), it will go into effect, at the earliest, by the fall of 2008.

“When it comes down to it, every student needs freedom of choice and equal options as to where they want to live, with whom they want to live and in what type of arrangement and environment,” said sophomore Dan Minot, the Student Union (SU) campus services chair. “No one should be limited to any sort of policy set by ResLife.”

The resolution, which contains 10 clauses, states that “students within the Washington University community are limited by the binary notion of gender present in current residential policy,” and that “this mixed-gender housing policy would act to promote the University’s goal of fostering equality.”

Junior Lori Weingarten, president of Pride Alliance, agreed with the resolution’s emphasis on equality, but added that mixed gender housing is not an issue only for GLBTQIA students.

“We provided our support, and we were very happy that SU drafted [the resolution],” said Weingarten, whose group works on behalf of GLBTQIA rights on campus. “We wanted less focus on it being a GLBTQIA issue. Really, it is an issue for all students, and a question of choice and access.”

Minot agreed with Weingarten, who perceived mixed gender housing as an issue for the entire student body.

“While some may perceive it as a GLBTQIA issue, it affects everyone regardless of gender or sex orientation,” he said. “It is in students’ best interests to have an active role in seeing this become a reality. This is something that is going to affect everyone.”

Minot, echoing points made in the resolution, said that the move to mixed gender housing also reflects an effort by the University to enact the same policies as its peer institutions, many of which currently offer the mixed gender option.

“This is a reality at several of Washington University’s peer institutions,” said Minot. “Several schools do have mixed gender housing in place.”

ResLife had been examining the mixed gender issue before the SU resolution, but Minot said it is important that the student body voice its opinion regarding the option.

“We thought there should be some type of student drive to get this policy implemented,” he said. “To me it was essential that there was some type of student support, and that it came in the form of a senate resolution.”

Recent ResLife polls have shown that two thirds of students support this type of policy change and that approximately three quarters of students would consider taking advantage of the option. Minot said that the numbers show a need for senate to act on this issue and increase knowledge of it on campus.

“We realized it would become a reality, but we felt the need to have students behind it to expedite that process,” he said. “While we do have survey results, it is also important to put our name out there, promote this policy and make sure students are aware of it.”

To that effect, SU plans to have two open forums about mixed gender housing in the near future.

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