When Chancellor Holden Thorp decides whether he’ll approve gender-nonspecific housing, he should consider the ways in which it will benefit both the LGBT community and the larger student population.
To maintain its position as the flagship school in the UNC system, the University must demonstrate a commitment to progressive policies — and a willingness to be an early adopter of these policies.

The current policy governing the Department of Housing and Residential Education is outdated and fails to represent all students’ needs.

Gender identity is variable, and UNC should apply a roommate request system that is conducive to all students’ comfort.

The concern that students would abuse the policy by trying to move in with their boyfriends or girlfriends seems overblown. If living with one’s significant other were a common practice among college students, more upperclassmen who live off campus would live with their boyfriends or girlfriends. But very few do.

Another concern is that the move to gender-nonspecific housing would alienate conservative donors to the University. If this is the case, it is a risk the University will have to take. Providing all students with a safe and comfortable living environment should take precedence over catering to donors’ political leanings.

UNC should strive to be a leader in this initiative, especially if it wants to maintain its status as a progressive and innovative institution. It cannot ignore the concerns of the 1,100 students who signed the petition in October 2011.

Thirty-two public institutions and 66 private institutions — ranging from Duke University to Guilford College — already provide a gender-nonspecific housing option.

A growing consensus across higher education supports moving to gender-nonspecific housing, and UNC should take heed. Though it may not be the very first, it should take care not to be the last.