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Policies and Procedures
Roommate Issues & Conflicts
The process for changing roommates
is the same as that for changing rooms. However, when faced with conflict on a
daily basis, waiting for the lottery process to take its course can feel
interminable. Telling your roommate to move out is not an option. Still, there
are a number of things you can do to make the short term more bearable. And in
many past cases, these tactics have allowed students to avoid moving (and
leaving their friends).
Here are some suggestions:
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Communication is key! Your
first attempt to resolve your roommate issue is to have a conversation with
your roommate regarding your concerns. Wishing, complaining to others, and
fleeing the scene are ultimately less effective than telling your roommate a
problem exists and determining together how it might be resolved.
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The next option, if you live in
a staffed residence hall, is to contact your Resident Assistant. They have
a variety of tools and resources to help you recognize and define your
concerns and will assist you through the next steps of the conflict
resolution process.
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Students have the right to
request that their conflict be heard by the Residential Judiciary Board or
by a Residential Life Administrator. These two resources will work as
mediation facilitators. If an agreement cannot be reached they can use
arbitration or a judicial hearing to resolve conflicts. If you feel that
the conflict is serious and intractable, seek guidance on what strategies
are available (see the Judicial and Mediation Processes section of
Habitats or the Student Disciplinary System booklet at
Dean Of Students office.
Last updated 8.1.07
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