In multiple academic buildings and residence halls around Hood College, all gender bathrooms have been added in place of some existing restrooms.
Hood’s Senior Team discussed and oversaw the changes, encouraged by a proposal from Queer Student Union and assisted by Facilities. Buildings with all gender bathrooms include Carson Cottage and Rosenstock Hall.
“We were influenced by how much it mattered to our students,” Dean Olivia White said.
According to White, the possibility of gender neutral bathrooms had been talked about “for some years” by Senior Team. However, the process of converting bathrooms to that label did not start until spring semester 2016, when members of QSU brought the proposal forward to them.
Travis Eichelberger, the Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion, said that every bathroom that is now all gender were already single use facilities. Technically, they could be used by anyone, regardless of what sign was on the door.
“This change should have little to no impact on students,” he said. “The real impact will be felt by any individual who feels safer using an all gender bathroom.”
Though not every building has had an all gender bathroom implemented, White said that they were being considered for the remaining halls. Some potential locations for the altered bathrooms have already been identified.
Chuck Mann, the Vice President for Finance and Treasurer at Hood, said that the entire project only took one month to complete. Aside from purchasing and installing the new signs, no other work had to be done to change the specified bathrooms.
According to college officials, this change does not have anything to do with the various laws passed and controversies about transgender rights over the summer. Rather, the addition of the all gender bathrooms originated from student support for them.
“We were influenced by how much it mattered to our students,” White said.
Eichelberger said that the change also complies with the guidelines set up by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and the American College Personnel Association. Both NASPA and ACPA have standards for colleges and universities on, among other issues, being aware of the needs of underrepresented populations on campus.
White said she hopes that students feel that, regarding the all gender bathrooms, the changes will positively impact Hood College.
“I firmly believe in equity for our students,” she said. “I think this has moved us in a good direction, a very positive direction.”
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