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Housing

Live on Campus

Open House Residential Community

Open House is a University Housing community that welcomes students who wish to examine both conventional and transformational assumptions about gender and sexuality.

Open House faculty: Anna Campbell

Open House coordinator: Travis Winger

GSCC Liaison: Whitney Anderson

Gender Inclusive Housing

GIH is a floor in the Lowell Center where students of any gender can live together. The House Fellow is trained and an LGBTQ+ advocate.

GSCC Liaison: Whitney Anderson

Connect in housing

Don’t miss the Gender Sexuality Alliance as a space to get together and have fun as LGBTQ+ folks and allied friends. All residents are welcome.

GSA Coordinator: Cleda Wang

Community Housing

Madison Community Co-Operative (MCC)

MCC is an LGBTQ-friendly space that affirms fair housing laws and actively supports LGBTQ people, residents of color, and other marginalized groups.

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I'm not LGBTQ, can I live in Open House?

Everyone is welcome in Open House who is invested in learning and talking about gender as part of the learning community. No one will ask your identity or require you to identify a certain way!

I want to transition but I’m living in an all-men’s/-women’s floor.

Binary trans students can choose whether they prefer to live on floors with their assigned gender or their current gender- just contact the Assignment Office to change.

Email: AssignMe@housing.wisc.edu
Phone: 608-262-2522, option 1

If you’re nonbinary, the Assignment Office can also help you find the best environment for you. You won’t be required to move from your current floor!

I'm nonbinary and want to live in a standard res hall.

The Assignment Office in Housing works one on one with any students who have questions about living in the res halls as an LGBTQ person. They work to assign students to an environment that will be comfortable for you vis a vis your gender.

Email: AssignMe@housing.wisc.edu
Phone: 608-262-2522, option 1

Feel free to also chat with the GSCC as a starting point.

My roommate isn't accepting of me.

See the pages on Changing Your Room and Roommate Relationships on the UW Housing site for some tools. Your House Fellow should also be set up to advocate you if it’s a situation of bias, homophobia, transphobia, or racism.

The Office of Student Assistance and Support also has Student Assistance to help if the situation is affecting your quality of life.

I'm having challenges with my house fellow.

We’re sorry to hear that. You can talk to the RLC of your residence hall, contact us at the GSCC for advice, or if appropriate, submit a bias report form. House Fellows have a responsibility to build inclusive and welcoming spaces.

Housing Rights

Tenant Resource Center

The TRC is an advocate organization to help you learn about and advocate for your rights with your property manager. Services offered in English, Spanish, and Hmong. See more on emergency housing here.

Wisconsin Housing Discrimination Law

Wisconsin state law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age (for people 18 and over), disability, lawful source of income, marital status, and sexual orientation.

Name in use

UW-Madison has a Name in Use system by which students, faculty, and staff can indicate a first name to appear alongside or instead of a legal name on many campus systems.

Unfortunately, implementation is not perfect. We are always happy to help you navigate this policy. We can also talk you through continuing to use your legal name in University systems and disclosing a preferred name to instructors, coworkers, and others on an individual basis- the choice is up to you, and both options are equally valid.

  1. Log into MyUW.
  2. Under the new MyUW, launch the “Personal Information” app.
  3. Next to “Name in Use,” click “Change.”
  4. Enter the name you want displayed, then click “Save.”

Please see the Name in Use page for a long list of FAQ and more information, or the Knowledge Base article for updating your name in use. You can also contact nameinuse@studentlife.wisc.edu for a direct convo.

Identity & Inclusion Liaison: Katherine Charek Briggs

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Where will my legal name still show up?

Where legally necessary, such as with Payroll and on diplomas, legal names are still in use. Some systems are still in the process of changing and will eventually show preferred name but don’t yet, including individual units’ proprietary software, like Cronos used by University Dining student employees.

What other systems are in place?

University Health Services has an additional system for collecting preferred name, gender, pronouns, and other markers to show up in your health file. Right now the UHS lab does not pull this information. See more at the TGQ page.

My deadname is showing up where it shouldn't.

We’re very sorry that happened. Please contact the GSCC or Warren directly right away and we’ll see how to get it resolved as quickly as possible.

My instructor/house fellow/etc won't use my name and pronouns.

There may be allies who can help- other house fellows, your RLC, your TA. We can also help problem-solve any time.

We have email templates on the TGQ page that may help.

If it is acute, you may consider submitting a Bias Report.

I need a new WisCard.

Once you indicate a name in use, bring your current WisCard and a driver’s license, state ID, or passport to the WisCard Office in Union South.

Tell them you have a name change and ask for a new WisCard. It will be free and display your legal name on the back only.

Nondiscrimination policies

Student protections

The UW Office for Equity and Diversity “is committed to providing equal opportunity and equal access and to complying with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations and UWS and university non-discrimination policies and procedures.”

In 1990, the Wisconsin Legislature enacted Wisconsin Act 186, creating s. 36.12, Wisconsin Statues. This statute provides, in part:

“No student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility of the {UW} system or its institutions or centers because of the student’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status.”

For more information on Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation, please refer to Regent Policy Document 14-6.

Both the UW System and UW-Madison include gender and identity and expression in non-discrimination policies. Visit UW-Madison’s Office for Equity and Diversity summary of relevant laws, policies and regulations for more information.

Discrimination response

If you experience a negative experience based on your gender identity or expression, please visit the Campus Center, contact us, or fill out the Bias Response form. We can also help you fill out the form according to your needs.