U. of C. to introduce 'open housing'[Co-ed rooms]

Chicago Tribune ^ | 12/20/08 | Sara Olkon

[madprof98]

Male and female students can room together without parents' permission

The University of Chicago, proud home of Nobel laureates, will undertake a bold experiment in chemistry: coed dorm rooms.

The pilot program allowing male and female students to sleep in the same room will start next month. It's not intended for romantic couples, but they won't be excluded, because the university won't ask students why they want to live together.

The proposal was a student-led initiative, university officials said.

Coed dorm rooms are allowed at more than 30 campuses nationwide, but they have generally been socially liberal institutions . . .

[snip]

The program won't apply to freshmen, and students won't need permission from their parents to live in "open housing." A letter announcing the program went out to parents this week.

[snip]

"D.J. Zissen, a 20-year-old junior at Oregon State University, is spending his second year in a residence hall that includes gender-inclusive rooms. Last year, he said his neighbor was transgender and going through the process of sex reassignment and hormone therapy. No one batted an eye, Zissen said.

"I enjoy that it's letting us live with whomever we want," he said.

[madprof98]

We're becoming a country in which no one bats an eye at anything, except perhaps decency and common sense.

[facedown]

Coed dorm rooms are allowed at more than 30 campuses nationwide, but they have generally been socially liberal institutions . . .

And the difference here is?

[misterrob]

If they are of legal age it is no one else’s business.

[Secret Agent Man]

If someone objected, then there’d be hair flying. Up is down.

[kjo]

Insane. After the first “rape” is reported I hope the girl’s parents sue the hell out of the school.

[OriginalChristian]

Already there. May God have mercy on us....

[wastedyears]

We're becoming a country in which no one bats an eye at anything, except perhaps decency and common sense.

It's quite sad, really. I wouldn't room with a woman if I was going to college, unless she was my girlfriend. I go to college, I'm not going to party, I'm going to learn. Add to that I've never gone anyway, as a freshman I'd be older than the seniors. A freshman able to buy beer...

[ConorMacNessa]

"Coed dorm rooms are allowed at more than 30 campuses nationwide, but they have generally been socially liberal institutions . . ."

And the Univ. of Chicago is a bastion of conservatism. /s



Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[fieldmarshaldj]

Well, I wouldn’t room with her unless she’s hot.

[BlessedBeGod]

If their parents are paying their tuition, it certainly is the parents’ business.

[The_Reader_David]

And the Univ. of Chicago is a bastion of conservatism. /s

Well, their Econ. Dept. certainly is.

[TheConservativeParty]

Oh my. We had alternate floor co-ed dorms at my Univerisity. That was OK, but not exactly a nunnery. But young hormone driven men and women (kids really) in the same room all the time? That’s trouble. Yes it is their own business. But there is going to be a lot more business going on than in separated dorms. Hello Captain Obvious! Bad Bad Idea!

[TheConservativeParty]

Excellent point!

[Arkinsaw]

1) Over 18...free to do what they want as long as nobody who is paying for their stay objects.

2) Will probably find that this is harmful to female graduation rates and health statistics in the long run.

3) Expect some high-profile embarassing sexual incidents. They will happen with such arrangements.

4) Don't expect it to improve grades...AT ALL.

[GiovannaNicoletta]

You beat me to it.

If one of my kids announced to me that they were going to share a dorm room with a member of the opposite sex, I would tell them that the money spigot was getting shut off immediately and then sit back and see how revolutionary they really wanted to be.

[wastedyears]

Hahah

[MahatmaGandu]

Brilliant idea. Brilliant.

[justlurking]

If their parents are paying their tuition, it certainly is the parents’ business.

Agreed, but I think the university is saying that they aren't going to enforce any rules imposed by the parents. It will be up to the parents to deal with the issue directly, keeping the university out of the middle.

[Incorrigible]

Related Thread:

Coed Dorms, Coed Floors — Now, Coed Rooms

 

[fieldmarshaldj]

*college pingy*