Student Assembly

R. 3 Resolution Requestiong the Implementation of Gender-Neutral Housing in the Residence Halls

Whereas, in accordance to the Preamble of the Student Assembly Charter: “the President, through the authority granted him by the Board of Trustees, hereby establishes this Charter for the Student Assembly of Cornell University.”

Whereas, in accordance to Article 2.3.a of the SA Charter: “should the President disapprove the amendments affected by this section, the President will present a detailed verbal or written report to the SA indicating the reasons for disapproval. The report will be presented within thirty (30) days of receipt of the proposed amendments by the President.”

Whereas, the President of the University has granted the SA the power to pursue all actions which are in accordance with the SA charter;

Whereas, in accordance to Article 1.1 of the SA Charter: “The SA will have legislative authority over the policies of the Department of Campus Life”

Whereas, in accordance to Article 1.3 of the SA Charter: “The SA will have the authority and the responsibility to examine any matters which involve the interests or concern the welfare of the student community and to make proposals concerning those issues to the appropriate officers or decision-making bodies of the University”

Whereas, college students should have a right to choose their roommates based on their preferences regardless of gender;

Whereas, Conellians already have the option of living off-campus with roommates of the opposite gender, whereas it is only a manner of traditionalist practice that Cornellians cannot live with members of the opposite gender in the Residence Halls;

Whereas, over 20 colleges and universities throughout the country offer some form of gender-neutral housing currently, including Dartmouth and Harvard;

Whereas, current Residence Hall policy discriminates with the assumption that heterosexuality is universal, instead of allowing students who would feel more comfortable living with members of the opposite gender;

Whereas, members of the LGBTQ community already have the option of rooming with their significant others at Cornell and face the consequences if their relationship ends; thus creating a gender-neutral policy would only universalize this practice for everyone;

Whereas, with respect to Cornell’s mission statement on diversity and inclusiveness, Cornell has a responsibility to create a housing system that is gender-neutral that is inclusive to all communities of Cornell;

Be it therefore resolved, the Student Assembly mandates that the Department of Campus Life immediately undertake gender-neutral housing upon the passage of this resolution allowing undergraduates to choose their roommates regardless of sex in the Residence Halls;

Respectively Submitted,

Vincent Hartman ‘08
Arts & Sciences Representative