Open House Learning Community

The Open House Learning Community in Phillips Residence Hall will experience some changes that could impact your level of interest in living there. Starting January 2024, Phillips will begin to undergo a renovation project impacting primarily the first and second floors of the building. Housing will work to mitigate disruption as much as possible, but residents will experience increased noise activity.

Open House is an inclusive community for all where LGBTQIA+ and allied students can find and create an environment of awareness, respect, and advocacy for all sexual and gender identities. We’re a welcoming and supportive space focused on building community among our intersecting identities. Located in the Lakeshore neighborhood in Phillips Residence Hall, this is a perfect space for students to engage in gender and sexuality studies and to explore ways of being active agents of social change. Through events, leadership opportunities, and community building, you’ll engage with LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and faculty in a purposeful and frequent manner, along with getting connected with a variety of different resources across campus.

How to Join

Sign your University Residence Halls contract and submit your advance payment in My UW Housing
Select the Open House Learning Community as your top choice when you submit your hall preferences in My UW Housing
Prioritize learning communities over residence halls when you submit your hall preferences in My UW Housing
Receive your room assignment

Open House is one of the most accepting and friendly communities. Everyone is welcoming and it will honestly feel like you’ve gained a second family.
Darren S., Open House Resident

Seminar

Open House Seminar
Gender & Women’s Studies 100 | 1 Credit

This one-credit course is led by Open House Faculty Director and Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies Anna Campbell. The course explores past and present topics in LGBTQIA+ communities. Readings and discussions in the seminar will be extended and enhanced by impromptu conversations and experiences between residents and the Faculty Director, with opportunities to bring in guest speakers. This fun class is exclusively available to Open House residents and is available every fall and spring semester.

This semester, discover the history of queer activist design, learn about the practice of local queer artists, and learn how to design buttons, stickers, patches, and iron on transfers. Seminar is an amazing opportunity to learn about and from LGBTQIA+ folks from first-person experiences in an intimate, supportive environment.

Programming

Community Goals

Encourage each student to understand and explore their own identity formation
Create brave spaces where residents can be their real, authentic selves in all of their social identities
Examine power and privilege and the crucial role of allies in making social change
Play an active role in fostering an environment of awareness, respect, and advocacy for all sexual and gender identities

Events & Activities

Each semester, Open House hosts a variety of events that support and expand upon the ideals of the community. The events vary from movies to speakers to community dinners. No matter the occasion, all events aim to build a stronger community and give anyone and everyone the chance to express themselves. Other notable events and activities include:

Bringing prominent speakers to campus
Field trips
Movie nights
Workshops
Co-sponsored events with other LGBTQ+ organizations
Karaoke nights
Crafts
Community Dinners
Study jams
Game nights

Gender Inclusive Housing

Gender Inclusive Theme Community

Lowell Center (one floor) | 43 residents
Singles, doubles, and triples with bathrooms | Any gender

This theme community is on one floor of Lowell Center in the southeast neighborhood of campus. It is intended to meet the needs of all students, with increased flexibility for transgender, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, and LGBTQ+ students and allies to preference an inclusive, safe, and comfortable housing assignment.

Students who are interested should reference the instructions under Gender Inclusive Theme Community on the Gender Inclusive Housing page.

Note: roommate preferences can be of any gender (regardless of a student’s assigned sex, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation). If you do not indicate a roommate preference, a roommate of any gender may be assigned.

Gender Inclusive Individual Rooms

Individual rooms in Dejope, Phillips, Smith, Waters, and Witte
Single, double, and triple rooms with baths
Single & double rooms with a shared all-gender bath

In select residence halls located in both the lakeshore and southeast neighborhoods, gender-inclusive housing options are available in a variety of room types with private bathrooms and with a shared all-gender bathroom.

These options are intended to meet the needs of all students, with increased flexibility for transgender, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, and LGBTQ+ students and allies to preference an inclusive, safe, and comfortable housing assignment.

Students who are interested should reference the instructions under Gender Inclusive Individual Rooms on the Gender Inclusive Housing page.