Click here to listen to In Our View, the voice of the University Journal Editorial Board.
We applaud the administration for opening up and showing the public that planning is under way regarding transgender and other diversity issues at SUU.
The Thursday press conference announcing the current effort marks the first time administrators have initiated discussion on the subject that has garnered national attention since transgender student Kourt Osborn raised housing-policy concerns in December 2007.
On Feb. 21, we called on the administration to unveil a fair and cogent transgender housing policy.
We appreciate the complexity of creating not only a fair housing policy but also university-wide changes to ensure transgender and other diversity issues are properly addressed.
Taking on the broader issue that began with housing is a large and praiseworthy endeavors and we support the administration's cautious approach.
Of all the possible changes suggested Thursday, SUU Vice President of Student Services Donna Eddleman's mention of creating gender-neutral housing is indeed the most radical.
Such an action would indeed be precedent-setting, as Eddleman said Thursday.
This possible policy change shows that the administration is considering what would be best for SUU and not just blindly following what other campuses have done or what policies are deemed "acceptable."
As the discussion continues, we hope it will be as open and tolerant as possible.
As SUU President Michael T. Benson said in his statement read at Thursday's press conference: "A public university campus is about the free exchange of ideas and about respecting the beliefs and practices of others … "
The opinions expressed above are the collective perspective of the University Journal Editorial Board. The editorial board meets every Monday and Thursday at 1 p.m. in room 176C of the Sharwan Smith Center.
Be the first to comment on this article!