Research Proposal for ACUHO-I Endorsement
Title of Study: The Status of Gender Neutral Housing in ACUHO-I Member
Institutions
Researchers: Dr. Deborah J. Taub, Professor of Higher Education, The University of
North Carolina at Greensboro; Dr. R. Bradley Johnson, Senior Assistant Director for
Administrative Services, Housing & Residence Life, UNCG; Torry Reynolds, Doctoral
Student, UNCG
ACUHO-I’s Talking Stick first explored the topic of gender neutral housing in
2006 (Miyamoto, 2006); at that time readers’ feedback indicated a desire to hear more
about gender neutral housing (Miyamoto, 2007). In 2007 Miyamoto indicated that
“gender neutral housing options have developed slowly, expanding more rapidly in the
past five years” (p. 43). In 2009 a Talking Stick article on assignments briefly referred to
gender neutral housing in the context of assignments (Clark, 2009). At that time the
ACUHO-I assignments survey (with approximately 180 respondents) indicated that
approximately 30% of responding institutions had some form of gender neutral housing
(that would be about 54 institutions). Since that time, gender neutral housing has
continued to be a topic of interest, explored at national conferences (for example, at least
two programs on gender neutral housing will be offered at both the upcoming 2012
NASPA conference and the upcoming 2012 ACPA conference). Unfortunately, no
comprehensive, systematic study of the state of gender neutral housing in colleges and
universities has been undertaken. It is unknown how many campuses offer a gender
neutral housing option, what types of housing are being used for gender neutral housing,
what barriers campuses encountered to initiating gender neutral housing, or what policies
have been put in place around gender neutral housing.
Currently, for such information, most people consult the website of The National
Student Genderblind Campaign (www.genderblind.org). The National Student
Genderblind Campaign publishes a list of campuses (currently 54 institutions) that offer a
gender neutral housing option that they are aware of. However, this list is compiled from
media reports and is, therefore, neither comprehensive nor exhaustive.
The July-August 2011 Talking Stick published a helpful article on gender neutral
housing (“Making Gender Neutral Housing Work,” by Stacy Oliver and Kathryn
Magura). Although this article does address some of the barriers encountered by some
campuses and also includes a discussion of considerations for choosing the type of
housing in which to offer gender neutral housing, it is more anecdotal in its approach.
Further, Oliver and Magura did not address the issue of how many campuses offer the
gender neutral housing option.
In 1979 DeCoster published an important article capturing the state of
coeducational housing during a time when coed housing was emerging as an option on
college and university campuses. The proposed study seeks to create a comparable look
at gender neutral housing as it emerges as a phenomenon. (The parallel between the
current state of gender neutral housing and the state of coeducational housing in the early
1970s also is implied in the 2007 Miyamoto Talking Stick article in its use of the famous
Oberlin College “Co-Ed Dorms” Life magazine cover from 1970 as an illustration.)
As Denise Darrigrand observed in 2007, “Gender neutral is a pretty wide-ranging
term” (Miyamoto, 2007, p. 44). It is, however, the most inclusive term, encompassing
both housing options designed specifically for transgender and/or gender-non-conforming
students and housing options that are open to all (or most) students. Therefore, that is the
term that we have chosen to use in this study.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which member institutions of
ACUHO-I have implemented or considered implementing gender neutral housing
(GNH). The specific research questions for this study will be:
(1) How many ACUHO-I member institutions have considered GNH?
(2) At those institutions where GNH has been considered, what obstacles were
encountered?
(3) How many ACUHO-I member institutions offer a GNH option?
(4) At those institutions where GNH is offered, what policies and procedures have
been implemented?
(5) At those institutions where GNH is offered, what type(s) of housing facilities
are used to offer a GNH option?
(6) How do U.S. institutions differ from non-U.S. institutions on these issues?
Methodology
In order to achieve the objectives of The Status of Gender Neutral Housing in ACUHO-I
Member Institutions study, the researchers will employ the methods outlined below:
Survey Instrument
● The researchers will develop a short survey instrument with items modeled on the
document used in the DeCoster’s (1979) study of coeducational student housing
in higher education settings. The DeCoster survey was used as a template given
its relevance on undergraduate living conditions and its focus on gendered
housing arrangements.
Participant Recruitment
● The researchers will request that ACUHO-I email the CHOs at ACUHO-I
institutions to invite their participation.
Data Collection & Analysis
● The survey will be distributed to the identified CHOs using Qualtrics Online
Survey Software. Participants will receive an e-mail that introduces the
researchers, briefly outlines the objectives of to the study and provides a link to
the online survey instrument.
● The participants will be given a one month time period to complete this survey.
Those participants who not respond after initial contact will receive e-mails at the
one-week, and three-week marker.
● The survey responses will be collected and stored electronically. The data will be
analyzed in terms of the research questions using the Statistical Package for the
Social Sciences (SPSS). The researchers will also look for any differences in
findings between US and international institutions.
Researcher Agreement
The above-named researchers agree to provide semi-annual research updates the
Research Committee of ACUHO-I on the progress of this study. In addition, we agree to
present our finished work at the national or a regional ACUHO-I conference and/or
submit an article for publication consideration to the Journal of College and University
Student Housing and/or the Talking Stick magazine.
References
Clark, M. (2009, Jan./Feb.). Assessing assignments. Talking Stick, 32-35
DeCoster, D. A. (1979). Coeducational housing in colleges and universities: 1967 to
1978. Journal of College and University Student Housing, 9, 6-9.
Miyamoto, T. (2006, May/June). No labels. Talking Stick, 21-24.
Miyamoto, T. (2007, March/April). On neutral ground: Where do we stand? Talking
Stick, 42-51.
Oliver, S., & Magura, K. (2011). Making gender-neutral housing work. Talking Stick,
28(6), 37-43, 52.