Cardinal Points

Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Andrei Popovici Vlad S.O.U.L co-chair Sean Watson stands in front of the women's bathroom. The recent gender-neutral campus campaign has sparked concerns among international students.

The recent gender-neutral campus talks have stirred up mixed reactions across the Plattsburgh State campus.

In creating a gender-neutral campus, international students, especially those who originate from conservative cultures, can be discouraged from enrolling at PSUC. PSUC currently has around 400 international undergraduate students, the highest number enrolled in the SUNY system.

These numbers might be set to decline with the gender-neutral campus campaign junior Nassawa Gongasingh said.

In Jamaican music for example, musician Buju Banton's song "Boom Bye Bye" was well-known for being about killing and burning gay people.

Gongasingh said in reality he knows the majority of Jamaican students who enroll are here for education purposes.

"(The) majority is against the confused," he said. "They might tolerate it if they have to, but (they) would rather avoid it altogether."

"But, it would be interesting to observe the attendance of these students," Gongasingh said.

So does PSUC advertise its gender-neutral equality policies at the international education fairs?

"We only tend to mention issues as such when we are asked," Tarek Elshayeb, associate director of international student services, said.

"Our purpose is to promote the school and in a limited time frame," Elshayeb said. "What we promote is PSUC academic achievements as well as the affordable costs."

Elshayeb said questions about the American culture do not arise frequently as people are more interested in issues such as the majors, the accreditation, costs and activities.

"When asked about cultures, we usually say PSUC has a friendly environment, and there is no discrimination between genders," he said. "Both men and women are treated equally."

Elshayeb acknowledges that the gender-neutral policy may in some way affect the numbers of international enrollment. He said this is norm in the American liberal culture and international students who enroll here should adapt to the American way of life.

Continued...

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