COLUMBIA (AP) – The University of Missouri’s flagship campus in Columbia is testing out a new gender-neutral housing option starting this fall.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that the 16-bed space in College Avenue Hall will be open to students of any gender. The goal is to create a safe, secure housing option for those students who are transgender or gender nonconforming.

MU Residential Life director Frankie Minor says students had asked for the housing. He says creating it was made easier after the Board of Curators added gender expression and gender identity to the University of Missouri System’s nondiscrimination policy last year.

Minor says about 150 universities nationwide have incorporated similar plans, including Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.