George Mason University in Virginia will join a growing list of U.S. schools offering gender-neutral housing, The Washington Post reported.

Starting this fall, the public institution will allow male and female students to live together in on-campus dorm rooms.  The university refers to it as flexible housing, and it will be offered for groups of four or six students who currently reside on campus.

Advocacy groups believe that George Mason University, one of the largest schools in Virginia, is the first college or university in the state to have stated policies providing gender-neutral housing. Many view the practice as a way "for colleges to ensure the safety and comfort of students who are uneasy about rooming with others of the same sex," The Washington Post reported.

"Mason prides itself on our student diversity," Ric Chollar, associate director for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQ) Resources at the university, told The Washington Post. "When any set of students feels unsafe or can't participate or drops out, a whole classroom, a whole community, is impacted by that."

As of last week, nearly 150 students have applied for flexible housing at the university, according to Jana Hurley, assistant vice president for university life.

"At the core, it's about the principle of it, empowering students to make important choices," Hurley told The Washington Post. "It's in the interest of all of our students' satisfaction, ultimately."

The housing application process for returning students ended Feb. 7, however, university officials will consider additional requests until all rooms are filled for the fall semester.

University housing officials have been looking into the policy for years.  Two years ago, their efforts received a boost when a campus-climate task force on LGBT issues recommended "gender-inclusive housing."