BSU has policies designed to provide a safe and inclusive living environment for LGBTQIA+ students, such as:
- Housing assignments based on gender identity;
- Gender-inclusive housing which permits students of different gender identities to share living quarters
Rainbow Housing
Rainbow Housing allows you to live safely while supporting people of all identities. This housing opportunity is a partnership with the Pride Center ensuring that students who identify within the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies have housing opportunities allotted to them in a safe and inclusive way.
Students who wish to participate in this housing designation must indicate so in the ‘preferred designation for housing’ section in the license agreement process.
RLH will identify floors and rooms within the residence halls that can accommodate a gender - inclusive environment. Due to building design limitations, rainbow housing may not be available in every residence hall.
During the roommate search/group formation process, students who indicated their preference to live in a rainbow environment will be able to search for compatible roommates from those who also indicated rainbow housing as their designation.
Gender Inclusive Housing
Gender Inclusive Housing offers residents the opportunity to choose their roommates without needing to be part of a specified gender identity.
All students who wish to live in a Gender Inclusive room, suite, or apartment must note in their license agreement process their preferred designation for housing as 'gender inclusive.'
RLH will identify floors and rooms within the residence halls that can accommodate a gender -inclusive environment. Due to building design limitations, gender -inclusive housing may not be available in every residence hall. BSU reserves the right to limit the number of gender inclusive suites that we grant.
FORMING A GROUP:
Students who elect rainbow housing or gender -inclusive housing will have the same opportunities to form groups as all other designations. During the roommate search/group formation process, students who indicated their preference to live in a gender-inclusive environment will be able to search for compatible roommates without a gender restriction.
SELECTING WITH NO GROUP IN MIND:
Gender-inclusive housing and rainbow housing spaces are made up of double and single rooms. A room designation will not be guaranteed as part of the room selection process.
Should a vacancy occur within the suite/apartment the residents are responsible for filling that
space within 48 hours. Should they fail to do so RLH reserves the right to fill that space with
another student.
Lavender Living and Learning Community
Living and Learning Communities (LLCs) are a widely regarded as best practice for supporting student success among colleges and universities across the country. They help connect resident students to peers with similar interests, offer an ability to create a network of support with other students and professionals, as well as have a learning component to help them grow not only as students, but as people too.
BSU's Lavender LLC, for all BSU students, provides LGBTQ+ and ally students with safe and consistent spaces to build community, foster identity development, and increase knowledge of LGBTQ+ inclusion and scholarship. The Pride Center co-sponsors this LLC with the English department and includes a one-credit class component.