NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Michigan State University has partially reversed its decision to make all communal bathrooms in its honors dorm coed, following complaints from students and parents who said the arrangement made them feel uncomfortable.
Officials posted new signs at Campbell Hall last week to label some bathrooms by gender, a change that came after a formal complaint and survey results showed disquiet among residents about a $37.1 million renovation that converted all 20 community bathrooms into unisex facilities.
Parents were not notified beforehand that bathrooms would no longer be separated by gender, leading at least one student to seek other facilities, according to one parent's letter.
SUPERIOR UNIVERSITY HIT WITH A GAG FEDERAL COMPLAINT REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO 'UNSAFE' AND 'ILLEGAL' DEI AGENDA
Michigan State University partially completed its co-ed community bathrooms in its honors dorm. (Istock/ Andrey Popov)
The facilities were the first co-ed communal bathrooms of their kind in any of the institution's 27 dormitories. MSU said it moved to unisex community bathrooms in Campbell Hall to accommodate a future change in the student population.
“Upon review of the survey data, the decision was made to provide options to students,” MSU spokesperson Kat Cooper said in a statement to Bridge Michigan.
The honors dorm spans four floors and includes 20 shared bathrooms, plus five single-use bathrooms. Cooper said she was unsure how many community bathrooms will remain unisex and how many will be assigned as male or female.
NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS SUE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR NEARLY $50 MILLION IN GRANT CUTS DUE TO TRANSGENDER POLICIES
The university did not notify parents that bathrooms would not be designated by gender. (Getty Images)
In an email to Campbell Hall residents, school officials said bathrooms “will be configured to the extent possible based on the gender composition of the community” on the ground and first floors, where there are two community bathrooms, and “gender-based bathroom options” on the second and third floors of the dormitory, where there are eight community bathrooms, as well as single-use bathrooms.
“We wanted to ensure that no room changes were necessary as part of these changes,” the email reads. “The updates are intended to offer more options and help residents feel more comfortable in their daily routines.”
Some members of the MSU Board of Trustees said this week that the university made the right decision in responding to feedback from students and parents.
The dormitory has four floors with 20 community bathrooms and five single-use bathrooms. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“I am happy that the university is listening to the concerns of its students,” said administrator Mike Balow.
“It is important that our students feel comfortable and have options. This is the right decision by the university,” added administrator Dennis Denno.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
