In the largest turnout ever for a Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA) poll, 1,170 students (42 percent of the student body) voted in the WSA sponsored elections last week in overwhelming support of gender neutral housing. Ninety two percent of voters supported the gender neutral agenda as it was approved by the Office of Residential Life and the Undergraduate Residential Life Committee last spring. Six percent voted against the implementation of such housing and two percent abstained.
WSA coordinator Ali Gomer ’05 was in charge of publicizing the poll and running it online.
“This was a very effective survey of the campus,” Gomer said. “The fact that it was the largest turnout for WSA-related voting suggests that people knew the poll was occurring and they felt strongly enough about the issue to vote. It is just one step the WSA is taking to try and be more effective and transparent on campus.”
According to WSA President Emily Polak ’05, the results have been sent to upper levels of the administration.
“Right now what we’re doing is making sure the results are highly publicized,” Polak said.
She added that the WSA’s plan is to widely disseminate the results to show prevalent student support before engaging in further meetings with members of the Administration and Wesleyan community.
Student Affairs Committee (SAC) Chair Elaine Garven ’05 has been designated as the main WSA representative who will carry on discussions with Administration. However, specific details about future steps the WSA will take in the communication process with Administration and others have not been disclosed.
“I think that the policy as it was signed and approved last spring needs to be reinstituted,” Polak said. “I am a strong advocate for this and the fact that 92 percent of the voting students agree is a cue that the WSA will continue to strive towards that goal.”
Some students are confident that high numbers cannot be ignored.
“The poll results are very encouraging in that they present students with an opportunity to have a significant influence on how the Administration handles gender neutral housing in the future,” said Jacob Mirsky ’08, a WSA Representative. “This poll gives students a great opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue with the administration and puts us in a place to take further action.”
Gomer agreed that the poll results are advantageous because they will draw more attention to the issue.
“I would like the Administration to look at the results of the poll, read the resolution passed by the WSA in favor of gender neutral housing for all students, and talk with WSA members and other students involved in this issue about how we can reinstate the policy on campus,” Gomer said.
Interim Dean of the College Peter Patton, scheduled to meet with Garven soon, said he would not comment to the Argus until he spoke with the WSA. Patton, who sits on the Student Life Committee, was the highest administrative official involved in the approval process of gender neutral housing last spring.
“When first implemented at Wesleyan last year, [gender neutral housing] received enormously positive responses nationally,” Garven said. “Wesleyan is seen as a leader in this respect. It is thus critical that we not allow miscommunication about the policy to affect its future success.”
Gomer also commented on the importance of communication over the housing policy.
“I think this poll gives the Administration statistical data, collected in a fair manner that strongly demonstrates student opinion about this issue,” Gomer said. “That’s something difficult to refute.”
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