Maybe Try Co-Ed On-Campus Housing?

By Hunter Ellis
Community SubmissionResidential and Commuter Life (RCL) needs to change their policies towards on-campus apartment living. This is the 21st century, and yet as a university we have not changed much when it comes to coed living. We still have all-female dorms and segregated living on campus. With a student body 18-years-old and up and by law we are all considered adults, and yet we are still being dictated where we are allowed to live and whom we are allowed to live with. The Landings, Village, and Lancer Park are all apartment complexes that have individual rooms and have multiple bathrooms. Yet for some odd reason though we cannot mix the sexes in these living quarters. It would be deeply beneficial for those who one day plan on living with someone of the opposite sex to experience the ins and outs of co-ed living.

I have heard many objections to this proposal. The first objection I have heard is that the school would see an increase in pregnancy rates. Well to this objection I would first like to bring out the fact that not all students, believe it or not, are sexually active. Secondly, the RAs are given condoms to give out as needed by their residents so it is well known that there is sexual activity going on on-campus already, not to mention most women are on some kind of birth control as is. As Virginians we have had Family Life courses shoved down our throats for years, give students a chance to actually implement their responsibility, this school might actually be surprised how responsible its student body is if given a chance. Another point I hear constantly is that members of the same gender cannot stand living together, have you ever heard of women fighting over bathroom time, it isn't pretty believe me! Lastly it is extremely na've of the school to assume that all co-ed living would be with heterosexuals, some homosexual students find it a lot easier to live with the opposite sex, and sometimes it makes life easier and less hostile.

The second objection I have heard is by allowing men and women to live together in on-campus apartments might be seen as the school actually promoting sex. Again, this is a na've assumption that men and women would be having sex 24/7 if they could live together. To those who are married or life-partners and live together who read this, how often do you and your significant other have sex? (Waiting for counting)..That's what I thought. By allowing men and women to live together it would not be condoning 24/7 carnal relations it would be condoning relationship building between the sexes. Men especially, it's kind of a big difference between living with your mother/sister to living with another woman. Giving men and women a chance to experience this is important before leaving college.

I guess the third objection I hear is that of a religious debate. to this I have two easy to understand responses. One, if you don't believe in living with someone of the opposite sex other than family until marriage.then don't. If it is not your immortal soul on the line then move on. And two, Longwood University is not Liberty University. These are public funds going into a public university so keep your religious views out of policy!

To conclude, I would like to bring up Longwood's policy on progressiveness. So let us progress a little and join the ranks of Hampshire College, Wesleyan University, Oberlin College, Clark University, Dartmouth, Brown and Brandeis University. Dr. Cormier is always looking to make headlines for Longwood, for example being the first Virginia school to eliminate smoking on-campus, how about being the first school in Virginia to have co-ed housing!