The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is considering allowing students to request a roommate of the opposite sex for the 2012 academic school year. UCLA’s On Campus Housing Council received a proposal for gender-inclusive housing last year and allowed two students to pilot the co-ed roommate situation. Thus far, the two roommates have filed no complaints about their situation.
UCLA is not the only college considering this option – many other universities have implemented gender-inclusive housing already, attempting to take into consideration the needs of students who are transgendered. Ohio University began a one-year experiment in co-ed housing this fall and the Grand Valley State University in Michigan offers “gender neutral” rooms for gay and transgender students this year as well.
Suzanne Seplow of UCLA’s office of Residential Life feels that it is a necessity that all colleges at least consider a gender-inclusive housing option. “UCLA is just following suit of this national trend“, she says.