The university is working to provide more gender-inclusive restrooms across campus as part of a plan to make the university more accessible to all students.

In the first phase of the project, approximately 40 single-user restrooms will be converted to gender-inclusive restrooms in the next few months, and another 75 to 100 will be converted by the start of fall. This initial changeover requires the restroom signs to be updated to reflect that the restroom can be used by anyone.

Many students, staff and faculty have asked that the UO create more gender-inclusive restrooms on campus. Most recently, the ASUO and University Senate formally recommended that the campus convert many existing restrooms to be gender inclusive.

Jamie Moffitt, vice president for finance and administration, formed a small committee representing campus operations; LGBT Education and Support Services; and campus planning, design and construction to carry out the planning and implementation of the project.

“This is an important step towards making our campus safer and more accessible for all students, faculty, staff and visitors,” Moffitt said. “It will also allow people of different genders to stay together in restroom settings when necessary, including families, friends and attendants.”

According to the National LGBTQ Task Force, a survey found that more than 50 percent of all transgender people have faced discrimination, harassment, arrest or violence in gendered public restrooms.

The committee has inventoried all campus restrooms, reviewed building codes and developed new signage with the support of LGBT support services and LGBTQ students. The members have also begun reaching out to departments about the change.

The next step is to research what it will take to convert additional restrooms and update maps to reflect the change. A majority of the single-stall restrooms on campus will change signage to show that they are available to everyone. The university will also consider, where appropriate, changing some multi-stall restrooms to be inclusive as well.

The new EMU will also have multi-stall, wheelchair accessible, gender-inclusive restrooms.

Gender-inclusive restrooms are not new to the UO — they can be found in the Knight Law Library, Carson and Earl residence halls and EMU South.

—By Jennifer Winters, Public Affairs Communications