co-ed dorm rooms

[yoMAMA]

startribune.com

Macalester considers co-ed dorm rooms
Terry Collins
Star Tribune
Published 11/20/2003

Macalester College is considering a student-driven proposal that could allow male and female students to share dormitory rooms.

Discussions between students and administration have been rather low-key on the St. Paul campus, Macalester Dean of Students Laurie Hamre said Wednesday. But a story in the school newspaper last week generated attention off-campus.

"We're in the very preliminary stages; nothing has been decided," Hamre said. "We are going to start small and not make this a huge decision."

Hamre said a group of gay, lesbian and transgendered students came up with the proposal this fall.

She said student momentum grew after they learned that Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., began experimenting with coed dorm living this fall.

"We asked our students to do a little research along with administration to see if more campuses were using this option," Hamre said. "I think the students' goal was to start the conversations early enough so if there was a program, it would be in time for the room draw in March for the next academic year."

With an enrollment of about 1,850 students, the private liberal arts college has coed dorms, some with alternating floors of male and female students, some with alternating rooms. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on-campus.

If the coed rooms were approved, they would not be available to freshmen and would be limited to students who apply to be roommates in advance. That usually occurs in March, Hamre said. A decision could be made by then.

"It would be a pilot program with a small number of students," Hamre said. "We have no idea of exactly how many."

Joel Larson, a freshman at Macalester who favors coed living, said Wednesday he has heard that only a few rooms would be coed.

"I heard they would share a suite," said Larson, 20. "They would have their own individual room and share common living space."

Hamre said that could be an option, adding that the school also has relatively new three-bedroom apartments with multiple bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room that could be in the coed program.

While the issue was raised by gay, lesbian and transgendered students, any such program would be available to all students, Hamre said. She said she is aware that there could be potential problems involving couples who might break up during the school year.

"It's a big step for the school to even consider it," said Lauren Kanner, a Macalester freshman who said she wouldn't be surprised if coed dorm rooms were approved.

"Yeah, I would live with a guy and no, he wouldn't have to be my boyfriend," said Kanner, 19. "I think couples would most likely take advantage of it, but hopefully they're responsible enough to know they might have issues down the line."

This potential step follows the latest pattern of campus life. First came coed dorms, then coed floors and unisex bathrooms. A few schools in recent years, started offering coed rooming to unmarried students.

And many colleges allow men and women to share suites with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms.

The proposal doesn't sit well with Tom Prichard, president of the Minnesota Family Council. He thinks the move will facilitate sexual activity, promote promiscuity and possibly lead to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

He hopes Macalester officials reject the notion.

"I think it's a bad idea for a number of reasons," Prichard said. "They're sending the wrong message and creating sexual confusion."

Other students at Macalester think the possibility of coed roommates could bring more interaction and friendships, not more dating opportunities.

"It's not a ridiculous idea," said Ashley Geisendorfer, 18, a freshman. "I don't see it being any different [than] for those who live off-campus.

"It shouldn't be offered to incoming freshmen, though," she added.

Lars Johnson, 18, also a freshman, said discussion about coed rooming is another example of an ever-changing society and a campus trying to keep up.

"This is a pretty progressive place," Johnson said. "It makes perfect sense to give young men and women the choice if they want to share a room together if they want."

Terry Collins is at tcollins@startribune.com.

© Copyright 2003 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.








I'd vote "YES"! :D

[mr. x]

well this is total frat-boy movie material but yeah id wouldnt want that, ESPECIALLY with an attractive girl, i mean she'd see EVERYTHING i do all day

[teaz0r]

horny freshman! shiiiieet.

[mr. x]

Originally Posted by teaz0r

horny freshman! shiiiieet.

OMG, if Teazor was in a coed dorm...she'd have lots of sex

[teaz0r]

Originally Posted by mr. x

OMG, if Teazor was in a coed dorm...she'd have lots of sex

silly, wouldn't make a difference if it was coed or not.

[himura-dono]

wouldn't need to leave the room except for food and water. classes or sex? hrm...

[ChinaLama]

i mean it's not like having single sex dorms has actually stemmed promiscuity.

[mr. x]

Originally Posted by teaz0r

silly, wouldn't make a difference if it was coed or not.

well some girls have peepholes to the boy's showers

you'd probly have a tunnel to it :D

[ChinaLama]

this is proly good actually. maybe less need for sexile now. :laugh:

[yoMAMA]

Originally Posted by himura-dono

wouldn't need to leave the room except for food and water. classes or sex? hrm...

That's a tough one, i tell you...... :D

[hapakristina]

Originally Posted by ChinaLama

i mean it's not like having single sex dorms has actually stemmed promiscuity.

i think it helps to avoid the temptation though. pepperdine has single sex dorms and a curfew for guys to be out of dorms (1am). i agree that if people are going to want to have sex in their rooms, they will. but i know that temptation of a cute boy next door and having to share showers and whatnot is all elliminated.

pepperdine will never give into the idea of co-ed dormitories, but i think for parents and many students.. that's one of the things they knew and should have accepted before coming here.

[kboy75]

when i was in college we had co-ed bathrooms. and we thought that was a big deal.... O_o wow...

[AngryABCGirl]

I don't know if college freshmen can handle it though, personally from what I"m seeing in the dorms right now. I think it wouldn't be a big deal at all afterwards.

[yoMAMA]

Originally Posted by hapakristina

i think it helps to avoid the temptation though. pepperdine has single sex dorms and a curfew for guys to be out of dorms (1am). i agree that if people are going to want to have sex in their rooms, they will. but i know that temptation of a cute boy next door and having to share showers and whatnot is all elliminated.

pepperdine will never give into the idea of co-ed dormitories, but i think for parents and many students.. that's one of the things they knew and should have accepted before coming here.

Is pepperdine religous like catholic or something like that?

I'm in a catholic school right now and i hate it.....

[mr. x]

Originally Posted by kboy75

when i was in college we had co-ed bathrooms. and we thought that was a big deal.... O_o wow...

umm isnt that kinda awkward though? i mean what if that cute girl comes out and does that fan thing with her hands going "dont go in there for a while"