The GUSA Senate decided Sunday to take a closer look at introducing gender-blind housing in on-campus residence halls.

The Georgetown University Student Association resolution does not officially back on-campus gender-blind housing, but many GUSA senators say a discussion could lead to a more accepting atmosphere for LGBTQ students.

“I introduced this bill in response to the heartbreaking LGBT[Q] suicides this past year. Georgetown must do all it can to ensure all students live in a safe and welcoming environment,” said Senator Josh Mogil (SFS ’11), who introduced the bill.

The resolution vows to address the topic with student groups, the

LGBTQ Resource Center, the Office of Residence Life, Housing and Facilities and Counseling and Psychiatric Services as well as Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson.

ogil criticized the university’s current lack of housing accommodations for delicate gender issues after the resolution was passed.

“Freshmen come to Georgetown with no strong foundation, no strong friendships yet to fall back on as support and not a strong sense of the counseling [or] other services available to them,” Mogil said. “They are new and therefore most at risk.”

Under its current policy, the university responds to accommodation requests by assigning concerned students a single room in an upperclassman residence hall.

“There are a number of students, probably under five each year, who contact the school about alternative options for their freshman year. This is because for certain students, traditional same-sex room assignments are not ideal or appropriate,” Mogil said.

According to university spokeswoman Julie Bataille, the university does not plan on altering its same-gender housing policy, but officials said they were willing to broach the topic. Gender-blind housing would not take into account gender when assigning housing to students.

“I am open to discussing ideas and interests with students as they pursue this dialogue,” Olson said.

oving forward, Mogil plans to assemble a task force of interested parties.

“[The group] will hopefully meet this semester to get started on discussing the issue and how we would like to proceed as a committee or task force studying the matter,” Mogil said. “We will hopefully come up with a suggestion that we can pass on to the school.”

Not yet taking a stance on the issue, GUSA is looking to establish itself as a mediator of campus opinions on a possible shift in housing options.

“I hope that the dialogue can achieve a more comfortable and accommodating living environment for all students at Georgetown,” Senator Clara Gustafson (SFS ’13) said.

Senate Speaker Adam Mortillaro (COL ’12) said that the initiative was also a way to put Georgetown on the map for discussion of gender-blind housing.

According to the National Student Genderblind Campaign, 54 American colleges and universities offer gender-blind rooming options. All Ivy League schools have a gender blind policy in effect or in the works for the upcoming school year according to the Yale Daily News. Columbia University recently approved a gender-blind pilot program in which six residence halls on campus will allow residents to choose their roommates regardless of gender. The program will begin with the 2011-2012 housing year.

The George Washington University is close to approving a gender-neutral housing program. The Colonials for Gender-Neutral Housing seek to open GNH to all students at GWU, including incoming freshmen, in a voluntary program. The GW Student Association Senate passed a resolution advocating GNH at GWU, and the proposal is now before the administration.

For Mogil, it is time for a change.

As formal discussion of gender-blind housing begins at Georgetown, some students have questioned its viability.

“Though I think gender-blind housing would potentially be a positive thing to consider, we have to remember that if significant others chose to live with each other then broke up, we would have a higher number of people needing to change rooms, thus creating a housing nightmare,” Moriah Lenhart-Wees (COL ’13) said.

For other students, the benefits of a change in housing policy would be widespread for the campus.

“Gender-blind housing would be very beneficial to the Georgetown community. It would be helpful to the many people on campus who have friends of the opposite sex and who have different sexual orientations,” Eric Bulakites (COL ’13) said.

The GUSA resolution, which garnered 17 votes in favor and four abstentions, also spurred debate among senators.

“GUSA is responsible for allocating funds to various clubs and organizations. However, when you get into the issue of gender-blind housing, its gets dangerously political, and I don’t think that is where GUSA belongs,” Senator Colton Malkerson (COL ’13) said.

ogil said he considered the resolution a milestone.

“By passing this bill to even talk about such a controversial subject, GUSA is acknowledging to the school that we are concerned about these suicides and the security/access situation for some students for whom same-sex room assignments is inappropriate,” Mogil said.

– Hoya Staff Writer Eamon O’Connor contributed to this report.

“