Room Changes

Within the first two weeks of school, RAs will provide students with a Roommate Agreement Form. This is a great tool to help students express their preferences and come to a shared agreement on expectations. If a challenging roommate situation arises, this is a good tool to look at. Are we honoring our agreement? Do we need to update the agreement?

If students are still struggling, we encourage them to reach out to their RA who can host a roommate mediation to explore solutions to the situation. Many times, roommate issues can be worked out when everyone is willing.

The RA can refer a situation to the Resident Director for additional support.

We want to encourage students to develop resiliency and resolve possible conflicts instead of moving to avoid confrontation. Remaining in the same room and with the same roommate can contribute to deepening roommate and floor relationships. We also want to teach students important communication skills and how to have difficult conversations which will ultimately foster stronger relationships. We encourage students to work with roommate to find common ground.

Changing rooms doesn't always mean a better outcome. Without developing the skills to live with others, students are more likely to encounter roommate conflict wherever they go.

Students are urged to communicate about and resolve possible conflicts instead of moving to avoid confrontation. Remaining in the same room and with the same roommate can contribute to deepening roommate and floor relationships, and lessen the confusion associated with moving belongings.

If after a student has addressed conflict with roommates as suggested above and a student still wishes to change rooms, then the student must do the following:

1. Initiate a meeting with the roommates with the RA present. This is to show that the student has attempted to solve the conflict. Ideally, the conflict can be resolved at this step and no room change is needed.
   
   
2. If conflict is not resolved, the student wishing to change rooms requests Room Change Form from the RA. With the form, the student needs to:
   
   
   1. Go to the cashier’s office to pay the $50 room change fee. Staple the receipt to the room change form.
      
      
   2. Acquire the signatures of the current RA and roommates. If the student knows what room they want to switch to, then the signatures of potential new roommates and new RA are needed as well.
      
      
   3. Bring the completed form to the student’s current RD and meet with them.
      
      
3. The RD then brings the form to a meeting where other room changes are discussed. It is at these meetings where the room changes are either approved or declined. The student will receive instruction regarding the approval or rejection of their room change request soon after.