The Men's Quadrangle, now known as North Campus, was completed in 1917, shortly after the Women's Quadrangle (South Campus) was built in 1915. Until 1968, one housed only men and the other only women.
All the dorms in the college are now co-ed, but several floors are still single-sex. Some of these floors will always be single-sex, said Jennifer Krohn, Dean for Student Life, for the simple reason that they have only one bathroom. Dibble Annex, Smith Annex, every floor of Rawson and some floors of Gates fall under this umbrella.
Other floors are not restricted in this way but are still single-sex. Krohn said that the number of single-sex floors is usually right about on par with the number of single-sex dorms requested each year and the number of floors has remained fairly consistent since the mid 80s.
Julia Stewart '10 said that she picked her Smith Annex room because it was sub-free, but its single-sex aspect "wasn't a negative."
"It's easier for everybody to get along," said Marquis Bradley '11 about the Rawson Pit community.
Amanda Underwood '10 said she was happy with her dorm on all-female Haines Third. "I was a little disappointed at first, but it's not a bad thing," she said. "I would consider doing it in the future."
Amanda Gotera '09, also on Haines Third, said that all-female floors are "not nunneries." Guys are often coming and going, and of course, girls leave the rooms as well.
Underwood said one benefit of an all-girl floor is that it allows for study breaks that are geared more toward girls. She had ended up on the floor by chance, but said she thinks she's more comfortable living with females.
Simon Kanter '11 of all-male James Third described the floor as a "miracle assembly," though he also said it's probably much like any other hall. Daniel Schneider '10, also on James Third, said the strong floor community probably had something to do with luck and not its nature as an all-male floor.
However, the James Third guys extol the benefits of living on an all-male floor. "I guess we don't have to wear pants as often," said Schneider. Greg Swanson '10 remarked that the floor had not had its customary "shirtless o'clock" in a while.
All of the Haines and James denizens interviewed ended up on their floors without consciously choosing a single-sex floor, but if there was any dissatisfaction with the setup, it was fairly mild. "I do worry about not having as many guy friends," said Underwood. "It influences friendships."
Jan Koszewski '08, SGA VPSA, who is a member of Housing Committee, said he could not remember getting a complaint about a single-sex dorm floor layout. "The system has been relatively calm," with nothing needing changing, he said. "I haven't seen anyone push for . . . more or less single-sex housing," he said. "It's certainly a conversation I'd be willing to entertain if there was a push for it." But it seems everyone's pretty comfortable with the arrangements as they are. In the case of James Third, arguably even too comfortable.
