In a response to concerns raised by students and their families, Michigan State University has decided to partially reverse its policy of converting all community bathrooms in its honors dormitory to co-ed facilities. The initial move had stirred discomfort among some residents.

To address these concerns, new signage has been installed at Campbell Hall, designating some bathrooms by gender. This decision follows a formal complaint and survey results that highlighted the unease surrounding the $37.1 million renovation project, which had initially transformed all 20 community bathrooms into unisex spaces.

Parents were caught off guard by the change, as they were not informed in advance about the shift away from gender-specific bathrooms. This lack of communication led at least one student to seek alternative restroom options, as noted in a parent’s letter.

Campbell Hall’s facilities were the first of their kind among Michigan State University’s 27 dormitories. The university had initially introduced unisex bathrooms to anticipate future changes in student demographics.

The facilities were the first co-ed community bathrooms of their kind at any of the institution’s 27 dorms. MSU said it moved to unisex community bathrooms at Campbell Hall to adapt to a future shift in student populations.

“Following review of the survey data, the decision was made to provide options for students,” MSU spokesperson Kat Cooper said in a statement to Bridge Michigan.

The honors dorm spans four floors and includes 20 shared bathrooms, along with five single-use restrooms. Cooper said she was unsure how many of the community bathrooms will remain unisex and how many will be assigned as male or female.

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 that bathrooms “will be configured as much as possible to the gender make-up of the community” on the ground and first floors, where there are two community bathrooms, and “gendered bathroom options” on the second and third floors of the dorm, where there are eight community bathrooms, as well as single-use restrooms.

“We wanted to ensure that no room moves were required as part of these changes,” the email reads. “The updates are intended to offer more choice 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 call in responding to student and parent feedback.

The dorm has four floors with 20 community bathrooms and five single-use bathrooms. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

“I’m happy that the university listens to the concerns of its students,” Trustee Mike Balow said.

“It’s important for our students to feel comfortable and to have options. This is the right move by the university,” Trustee Dennis Denno added.