Should Universities Institute Dorm Sex Policies?

In response to problems experienced by students in previous years, Tufts University has reportedly instituted policies about sex in campus housing. Specifically, the new policies reportedly state that students are not allowed to have sex when their roommate is present (unless, I would suppose, sex is with one’s roommate). In addition, students’ sex is not supposed to interfere with their roommates’ sleep, privacy or studying.

You may recall that fellow Kinsey Confidential blogger Bradley Blankenship recently wrote about the experience of being “sexiled” from one’s room when roommates take over the room for sex leaving their roommate out in the cold. And potentially feeling awkward, alone or powerless.

Though the new policies at Tufts have been described as being intended to provide boundaries for students and to facilitate conversation, do you think students will try to have these policies enforced? Or to what extent do you think students might still feel as though they don’t have the ability to speak up to a resident hall assistant or someone else in charge at their dorm?

I absolutely feel as though students need to feel as though they have choices – both to be sexual alone or with a partner as well as to not be exposed to their roommate’s sexuality in ways that make them feel uncomfortable. College is full of learning experiences and opportunities to gain new skills – including, I suppose, learning to talk to roommates about sex, about what one feels comfortable with (or not) and how they can manage time in their room so that all two or three roommates feel as though they can make their living situation work for them.

For more information:
- College students at Tufts University warned on dorm room sex etiquette (NY Daily News)