CLUH Calls for Co-Ed Rooms

The College should allow students to form co-educational rooming groups, says a report released yesterday by the Civil Liberties Union of Harvard (CLUH).

"Harvard College should change its housing policies so as to permit students of the opposite sex to consentually share bathrooms, bedrooms, common rooms and other elements of housing," says the report.

CLUH recommended allowing upperclass students to form coed rooming groups during the 1992-1993 academic year and first-years to room with members of the opposite sex in the 1993 housing lottery.

The study also surveyed student response to the issue. The surveys were conducted on February 10 and March 9.

"As we investigate the issue informally, a lot of students on campus support the policy and are being hurt by the present policy," said Jolyon A. Silversmith '94, co-director of CLUH. "The friends they want to live with are of the opposite sex."

In the surveys, 85 percent of Harvard students polled said they supported coed rooming groups.

Although CLUH proposed coed rooming groups two years ago, College administrators may be more receptive to the proposal now, according to Scott D. Welsch '92, chair of the group's Co-ed Rooming Committee.

"My impression is that two years ago it was almost inconceivable, and now they seem much more openminded," said Welsch.

"In general we found students' responses to be very positive," Silversmith said.

According to the Handbook for Students, current Harvard policy is that "co-ed rooming groups are not allowed in any College housing."

But Silversmith questioned the fairness of this policy.

"Why does the University care who you live with if it isn't concerned with whatever self-destructive behavior goes on behind the closed doors of a suite?" he said.

Silversmith said he did not think co-ed rooming groups would create additional tension among roommates.

"There can be problems in any rooming relationship, and the College cannot set sex aside as the determining factor," said Silversmith.

According to Welsch, CLUH plans to press the issue further at a meeting of the Harvard Committee on House Life,which is scheduled to meet April 1.

Malcolm A. Heinicke '93, vice chair of theUndergraduate Council, said he welcomed CLUH tosend its report to the council.

"The UC has no official position on the issueas of yet," said Heinicke. "However, I welcomeCLUH to send copies of the report to the council.

Malcolm A. Heinicke '93, vice chair of theUndergraduate Council, said he welcomed CLUH tosend its report to the council.

"The UC has no official position on the issueas of yet," said Heinicke. "However, I welcomeCLUH to send copies of the report to the council.