Chancellor Birgeneau Visits Oscar Wilde House

Date: Friday, April 15, 2005

Contacts:

Kathryn, McCarthy, Community Relations (M-Th)
(510) 848-1936 ext. 317, cell (510) 685-6297, kathyrn@usca.org

On Tuesday, April 12 th, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau paid his first visit to a student co-op, a tea hosted by Oscar Wilde House residents. “I was so amazed by some of the things he shared with us. He offered different perspectives on several important issues, which really made me think about some things in a new way,” according to USCA president Nick Hamilton who is also a resident of the house. Birgeneau was there to learn about the co-op system, Wilde House and to answer questions from students who live in the house.

Hamilton explained that housing costs are kept low in the co-ops through the students governing, managing and working in the co-ops themselves, and purchasing food in bulk through a central warehouse. “Most co-ops have been around a long time, with very low or paid off mortgages, while others are operated through low-cost leases from the University, which plays a big role in making the rents affordable,” he said and added that he hoped to continue to form partnerships with the University in the future to ensure the availability low cost housing for those who need it.

After learning all about the co-ops, the chancellor candidly answered questions on a variety of topics, including affirmative action, town vs. gown, how he became chancellor, what first inspired his interest in the LGBT community with whom he worked closely in Toronto. “The homophobes assumed I was gay,” Birgeneau mused. Oscar Wilde House opened in 1999, is one of twenty the organization operates, and is the first gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender theme house in America.