Open House Learning Community

(one floor)

31 residents

Mixed coed floor of doubles with private baths

(gender inclusive room options available)

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.

Sponsor: Department of Gender & Women’s Studies | Open to: all majors

Additional Fee: $250 (exception request form)

How to Join

All items must be completed by your due date (May 1 for most admitted students). You can be assigned to any learning/theme community even if you did not preference it.

Sign your University Residence Halls contract and submit your advance payment in My UW Housing.
Rank the Open House Learning Community first 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.
Complete and submit the Open House Learning Community application/agreement in My UW Housing.
Indicate if you want a random or preferred roommate in My UW Housing, and create/join a roommate group if you have a preferred roommate(s). Make sure all preferred roommates have matching preferences.

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Seminar

Open House Seminar

Gender & Women’s Studies 100 | 1 Credit

This one-credit 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. Seminar is an amazing opportunity to learn about and from LGBTQIA+ folks from first-person experiences in an intimate, supportive environment.

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Open House is such an accepting and friendly community. Everyone is welcoming and it will honestly feel like you’ve gained a second family.

Darren S, Open House resident

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

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Gender Inclusive Housing

Gender Inclusive Theme Community

Lowell Center

(one floor)

Any gender

43 residents

Singles, doubles, & triples with baths

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

Singles, doubles, & triples with baths

Singles & doubles 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.

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.

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