Living with Roommates
You may feel uneasy about speaking with your roommate for the first time. We suggest that you reach out to your roommate prior to your arrival to introduce yourself. Here are some things that may help you to guide the conversation:
- Get to know each other - what do you like doing, what are you looking forward to, what are you nervous about? Discuss your hobbies, interests, and pet peeves.
- Discuss your major
- Discuss items that either you or your roommate are bringing to conserve space (e.g. refrigerator, microwave, television, Keurig, etc.). Is there anything you want to shop for together once you’re here?
All students who live on campus are required to complete a roommate agreement. The roommate agreement helps guide a conversation about preferences and behaviors that may impact your relationship. The goal of the roommate agreement is to establish solid communication and an understanding of expectations. This document provides an opportunity for roommates to voice preferences and concerns. If a conflict with your roommate does arise:
- Have a one-on-one conversation with your roommate about your concerns.
- If that does not work, contact your resident assistant to assist in mediating.
- If this does not work, your RA will contact your residence education coordinator for further assistance.
Room Changes
A room change will not be considered until a mediation has been completed. A mediation requires: meeting with a student or professional staff member from Residence Education and a follow-up discussion meeting
Living with others can be stressful, and you may be nervous to discuss your concerns with your roommate. Avoiding a conversation means things will not change. It’s important that you advocate for your needs, and our staff are here to help! This process will help you learn how to appropriately communicate your needs in the future.
It is important to reflect on the difference between feeling unsafe and feeling uncomfortable. To feel unsafe means that you are physically in danger. If you feel you meet this definition, please contact Public Safety right away.
If speaking to your roommate on your own isn’t working, we will assist you with a mediation. This means we will work with you and your roommate to set aside time for an intentional conversation to establish boundaries and set expectations in order to create a livable environment. The goals are to solve the issue and move forward, not to hash out every detail of what has previously happened. We hope that you are able to walk away knowing how to appropriately address future concerns. Developing these communication and conflict management skills are important. You will face similar situations in class projects, student organization meetings, and jobs where you will need to have tough conversations with others.
Room Consolidation/Reduced Occupancy
From time to time, students living in and paying for a double, triple, or quad room
will find themselves without a roommate. If a space becomes open in a resident’s room,
Residential Living will notify the resident(s) of the right to choose to:
- Keep the reduced occupancy status and be billed for a single or additional fee for the reduced occupancy. During times of high occupancy, this option will be unavailable
- Find a roommate or move in with someone else. If a resident wants a roommate, Residential Living will provide a list of students looking for a roommate. It is the resident’s responsibility to initiate and implement this process.
- Stay in the room at current occupancy with no extra fees, with the condition that Residential Living reserves the right to move another resident into the empty space in the room at any time throughout the semester or academic year without prior notification. If this option is selected, the student must leave half of the room vacant in anticipation of a new roommate.
If a space becomes open in a resident’s room during the first and/or last two weeks of each semester (the room freeze period), this space will be held open by Residential Living in order to place incoming students. If this space is not used for a new student and is in a non-converted state at the end of the room freeze period, the resident will be notified about the opportunity for a consolidation process.