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Michigan State University has partially reversed course on its decision to make all community bathrooms in its honors dorm co-ed, following complaints from students and parents who said the arrangement made them uncomfortable.
Officials placed new signs at Campbell Hall last week to label some bathrooms by gender, a shift that came after a formal complaint and survey results showing unease among residents about a $37.1 million renovation that turned all 20 community bathrooms into unisex facilities.
Parents were not notified beforehand that bathrooms would no longer be separated by gender — prompting at least one student to seek out other facilities, according to a parent’s letter.
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The facilities were the first co-ed community bathrooms of their kind at any of the institution’s 27 dorms. MSU said it moved to unisex community bathrooms at Campbell Hall to adapt to a future shift in student populations.
“Following review of the survey data, the decision was made to provide options for students,” MSU spokesperson Kat Cooper said in a statement to Bridge Michigan.
The honors dorm spans four floors and includes 20 shared bathrooms, along with five single-use restrooms. Cooper said she was unsure how many of the community bathrooms will remain unisex and how many will be assigned as male or female.
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In an email to Campbell Hall residents, school officials said that bathrooms “will be configured as much as possible to the gender make-up of the community” on the ground and first floors, where there are two community bathrooms, and “gendered bathroom options” on the second and third floors of the dorm, where there are eight community bathrooms, as well as single-use restrooms.
“We wanted to ensure that no room moves were required as part of these changes,” the email reads. “The updates are intended to offer more choice and help residents feel more comfortable in their daily routines.”
Some members of the MSU Board of Trustees said this week that the university made the right call in responding to student and parent feedback.
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“I’m happy that the university listens to the concerns of its students,” Trustee Mike Balow said.
“It’s important for our students to feel comfortable and to have options. This is the right move by the university,” Trustee Dennis Denno added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.