Deep within Michigan State University’s campus, a historic dormitory has reopened its doors after a significant $37.1 million renovation. Campbell Hall, home to the university’s honors students, now boasts updated windows, improved common areas, and modern mechanical systems. However, one particular upgrade—the introduction of co-ed community bathrooms—has stirred a lively debate that extends well beyond East Lansing.
Student Reception and Innovative Design
The newly designed bathrooms have moved away from traditional gender segregation. Each facility now offers private, individual stalls for showers, toilets, and sinks, accessible to all residents regardless of their gender identity. This innovative approach marks a pioneering step for Michigan State and potentially for public universities throughout the state.
Many students have found this new arrangement to be entirely normal. Tyler Nguyen, an 18-year-old first-year student from Kentwood, remarked, “It’s not like it’s weird or anything.” Adeline Loftis, 17, echoed this sentiment, stating, “I really don’t even notice.”
Parental Worries and the University’s Solution
However, not everyone is as comfortable with the change. The university has received letters from concerned parents who are uneasy about students of different genders sharing these communal spaces. One parent even wrote to MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz, expressing discomfort with the idea of students, wrapped only in towels, encountering others in shared bathroom areas. This feedback has prompted the administration to reconsider certain design elements.
Assistant Vice President Ray Gasser confirmed the varied reactions in an email, noting, “While many students have expressed appreciation for the updated facilities, we did receive feedback from a few women in the building regarding the bathroom configuration.” After internal discussions, Michigan State University plans to designate some bathrooms by gender during the upcoming fall break. Gasser emphasized the university’s commitment: “Our goal is to support a safe, inclusive, and comfortable living environment for every student.”
The Vision Behind Gender-Neutral Facilities
According to university spokesperson Kat Cooper, the move towards unisex facilities was intended to offer “greater flexibility as student populations evolve over time.” She clarified that Campbell Hall’s bathrooms are meticulously designed for complete privacy, featuring floor-to-ceiling doors on each stall to ensure full enclosure and eliminate any gaps. The only communal aspect of these facilities is the outer sink area.
Generational Gaps and Trustee Input
Nevertheless, this change has prompted some campus leaders to ponder generational and cultural differences. MSU Trustee Dennis Denno acknowledged his “different generation” perspective, admitting he “honestly doesn’t know what students today are comfortable with.” Fellow trustee Mike Balow stressed the importance for both young men and women to “have the choice of privacy from the opposite sex when getting out of the shower or getting ready at the sink.”
Part of a Wider National Shift in Student Housing
Across the nation, this design trend is seen as part of a larger movement in university housing, aiming to harmonize tradition with contemporary needs for privacy and inclusion. Kathy Hobgood, president of the Association of College and University Housing Officers International, observed that “Co-ed living in a building is not for everyone. You have to have a level of comfort.”
Hobgood highlighted the “community pod” model, which is gaining traction at several U.S. campuses. This design replaces traditional rows of open stalls with fully self-contained units, each equipped with a private shower, toilet, and sink, all behind a lockable door. She explained that this effectively transforms a public bathroom into a “semi-private one,” and reassuringly added that universities adopting similar layouts have not reported any significant security issues.
The Future of Community Living on Campus
For Michigan State, the integration of co-ed community bathrooms serves as a microcosm of a broader challenge faced by universities nationwide: how to balance evolving concepts of privacy and inclusion within shared student living environments.
As one administrator aptly summarized, the objective extends beyond mere facility modernization; it’s about redefining community living for a generation that is growing up in a more fluid and interconnected world.