Jan 5, 2009 6:27 pm US/Central
Open Housing Causes Dorm Room Dilemma For Some
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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The University of Chicago launched a new co-ed dorm room program.
CBS
Having a compatible roommate can easily make or break a student's experience at college. However, what happens when you throw in a male - female factor? Monday, the University of Chicago launched a new co-ed dorm room program. CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports on why it may not be all about sex.
One student leader told CBS 2 gender neutral, gender blind or "open" housing is about one thing and one thing only: giving students a degree of choice.
It's not necessarily a new thing. That kind of choice is available at more than two dozen other U.S. campuses.
Holiday break is over, so Albert Adams brought his daughter back to the University of Chicago where the new year brings a new campus policy: the school will allow co-ed dorm rooms.
This policy excludes freshman.
Julian Quintanilla is a Vice President of the student body.
He says the decision to make a co-ed rooming option available came after more than a year of discussion and debate. He thinks most of his peers are ok with it.
"It's every person's right to choose who they want to live with," student Tommy Gonzalez said.
Albert Adams says that although he is a parent, he wouldn't go for it.
"…These days so much has been permitted and things have changed so I may be old school, but NO WAY," Adams said.
He says students are there to study. Plus he believes you need to consider age.
Quintanilla tells us they did.
"The U.S. deems everyone over 18 as an adult and allowed to make our own decisions...We have proven we are at a stage in our lives where we can make informed mature decisions...to live with member of opposite sex or not.
The purpose behind it is to give students that choice of who they want to live with," Quintanilla said.
Romance isn't supposed to be a motivating factor for choosing a roommate of the opposite sex, but housing won't question applicants about their reasons.
So far no student has petitioned for a co-ed room.
There aren't big numbers of students participating in the well established programs out east either.
Wesleyan has had co-ed rooms for about 15 years.
A spokesman says they've been mostly platonic and last year attracted about 14 pairs.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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