Michigan State University has reconsidered its earlier decision to convert all community bathrooms in its honors dormitory to co-ed facilities, responding to feedback from students and parents expressing discomfort with the setup.
Last week, the university installed new signage at Campbell Hall to designate some bathrooms by gender. This change followed a formal complaint and survey results that highlighted residents’ concerns about a $37.1 million renovation, which had initially transformed all 20 community bathrooms into unisex spaces.
Parents were not informed in advance about the shift from gender-separated bathrooms, leading at least one student to seek alternative facilities, according to a letter from a concerned parent.
The move to co-ed community bathrooms at Campbell Hall marked a first for any of the university’s 27 dormitories. MSU explained that the transition to unisex bathrooms was intended to accommodate future changes in the student body.
“After reviewing the survey data, a decision was made to provide students with more options,” stated MSU spokesperson Kat Cooper in a comment to Bridge Michigan.
“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.
The university did not notify parents that bathrooms would not be designated by gender. (Getty Images)
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.
The dorm has four floors with 20 community bathrooms and five single-use bathrooms. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“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.
