Gender-neutral housing policy continues to work on case-by-case basis, students unsure if language was added
After the creation of a gender-neutral housing proposal last year and support from Central Michigan University's Student Government Association, many students remain unsure of the current state of the housing policy.
The proposal was introduced in late 2010 before the Office of Residence Life said that language would be added to the housing policy to better accommodate transgender students. As of the beginning of the fall 2011 semester, no policy was put in place and transgender students continue to work with the Office of Residence Life on a case-by-case basis.
Spectrum President Justin Gawronski, a Macomb junior, said the proposal was eventually rejected by the Residence Hall Assembly last year. Gawronski is also a member of SGA's Diversity Committee, which has been working toward finding a suitable gender-neutral housing solution.
"We heard that it got shot down in RHA due to lack of specificity," Gawronski said. "One of the diversity committee’s main goals is to find out why it didn’t get passed in the RHA."
Gawronski said the next step for supporters of a gender-neutral housing policy is to continue gaining student support and publicity.
"We got the student support," Gawronski said. "Now, we just need to figure out what exactly we need to do to get it publicized."
Shelby Township senior Vincent Cavataio, president of SGA, helped construct the gender-neutral housing legislation last spring with SGA Vice President Colleen McNeely. Cavataio was not aware if an official policy was put in place, but said students may still apply for gender-neutral housing.
"Any student who wishes to use gender-neutral housing has to apply for it," Cavataio said. "As far as I know, there are a few students using it in South quad."
Cavataio was not aware if the RHA rejected the proposal, but said the issue is still important to SGA's Diversity Committee.
"If it was something that was shot down by RHA, then that would be something we will be pursuing this semester," Cavataio said.
In August, Residence Life approved one room for gender-neutral status.
Associate Director of Residence Life Shaun Holtgreive did not return messages by the time of publication regarding if language has been added to the housing policy.
