Topics: Inclusive Excellence, Student Affairs
January 24, 2018
As part of Ball State University’s commitment to provide safe, inclusive and supportive living environments for all its students, the campus in 2018-19 will launch a pilot program for gender inclusive housing.
Ball State’s Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, with support of the University’s Housing and Residence Life staff, will provide about 60 spaces with private bathrooms for the program.
This initiative is the result of a year-long study that included significant student input, according to Alan Hargrave, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Housing and Residence Life.
“Ball State faculty, staff and students live the Beneficence Pledge, which includes valuing the intrinsic worth of each member of our community,” he said. “Ball State is committed to providing a safe environment for all students who identify as LGBTQ.”
“Our research shows the majority of Ball State students support gender inclusive housing as an additional option for living on campus.”
Any student who is respectful of gender identity issues can live in gender inclusive housing. A student must have a like-minded roommate secured before applying.
“Transgender students and gender nonconforming students have told us they are sometimes uncomfortable with being assigned roommates who may not accept their identity or gender expression,” the Associate Vice President said. “With that in mind, only students with mutually-confirmed roommates will be placed in gender inclusive housing.”
Other Indiana state colleges and universities have adopted gender inclusive or gender-neutral housing, as do other major colleges and universities across the nation.
“By implementing this option, we remain competitive in the marketplace,” Hargrave said, “and more important, it is the right thing to do.”
For more information about the University’s gender inclusive housing pilot program, visit bsu.edu/housing.
By Marc Ransford, Senior Communications Strategist