The Student Union is hoping to further its progress on gender-neutral housing among other issues as the year nears its end, Union members said in a meeting on Monday night.
Union Advocacy Chair Amy Mahler, a senior in the College of Communication, said she and her team had a meeting last week with David Zamojski, the assistant dean of students and director of residence life, concerning the possibility of gender-neutral housing.
“All of our peer institutions have it,” she said. “Boston University is completely out of step with its peers, and we are not offering students what plenty of other universities of our academic and social caliber are.”
Mahler said she has been working on gender-neutral housing for many years and has come up with a full proposal.
“[Zamojski] was really excited about all the research we’ve done,” Mahler said. “Our proposal was the first full proposal since the topic of gender-neutral housing has started on this campus to come to his desk.”
Mahler also said she and her team are developing a three-year plan to present to Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore, who she said has been waiting for students’ full proposal.
Union members said they are also working with City Councilor Stephen Murray for a joint endeavor that would allow BU students to better connect with the city of Boston.
Although specific details are not yet revealed and the project is still in progress, it is looking to be a new project unlike anything before, said James Boggie, Union director of city affairs and a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Boggie said he insists that students get more involved in the community.
“While you’re here, you do live in Boston, and these things impact you,” he said. “If you have something that you would like to change, tell the Student Union. We’re always here to help you.”
In addition to continuing to pursue these efforts, Union will host BU Beach Takeover, an afternoon of fundraising and dancing with DJs competing for musical supremacy, on April 30, said Connie Ortiz, Union event planning committee chair and College of General Studies sophomore.
“We wanted to create an event that would be able to unify the student body but still get our name out there,” Ortiz said. “It would be right before finals – a kind of last hurrah.”
Union is working together with Collegefest and the DJ Association to create “the biggest event on BU Beach you will probably ever experience,” Ortiz said. Collegefest will take over Marsh Plaza while student groups fill up the BU Beach.
Eleven DJs will be spinning throughout the day playing a variety of genres and students will be able to vote on who they liked best, she said.
Union members also expressed support for allowing personal coffee machines and blenders to be used in dorm rooms.
“I think that it’s an old rule, and from what I heard, this is an issue that was going to be discussed by the administration over the summer anyway,” said Ben Noble, Union vice president of finance and School of Management senior.
“There is a decent chance that this is going to happen, although I can’t guarantee anything,” he added.
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You know…setting aside housing space to quarantine sexual/gender orientation beefs doesn’t seem very much in the spirit of tolerance and understanding.
Hi Confusedyouth,
I just saw your comment, sorry for not responding sooner! I promise you, quarantine is not the spirit of Student Union’s gender neutral housing proposal. Instead, the proposed policy change would allow any one to live with anyone else, regardless on sexual orientation or gender identity. Student Union is proposing that this would be an option for students and available in any kind of housing on campus. This way people are not forced to take the option if they aren’t so inclined and those who do want the option aren’t restricted due to financial concerns. Tolerance and understanding are very important to Student Union and we hope this proposal will help foster it further on campus.
I hope that answers your concerns!