Who will be my roommate?
Lindsay Dunham
Issue date: 8/22/08 Section: News
"They are setting up parameters at the very beginning, before the trouble starts," Schultz said. "We find that if they go though (the contract) they have less problems."
Even with these preventative measures, roommate conflicts are still inevitable.
"Everyone hears the horror stories, and they are the examples of why not to live on campus," Gluntz said. "They range from using each other's clothes, personal items, having sex in the room while your roommate is sleeping to just being a night versus day person."
Still, the Housing office has found, more often than not, the problems come from roommates who did not talk about the issues before they happened.
"Nine times out of 10, the people who have problems haven't done the roommate contract," Schultz said.
Whenever a conflict between roommates comes up, there are many ways of helping them work through it.
"The Residence Life staff get involved to resolve the issues as quickly as they can," Gluntz said. "The RAs?(Resident Assistants) have a variety of options. There is talking with the roommates, ensuring that the Roommate Connections workbook has been completed, mediating the conflict, and of course, referring the students to the Hall Director or beyond. It just depends on the situation and the issues at hand."
If every option has been exhausted, and the roommate arrangement still does not work out, the Housing staff will look into switching the rooming arrangements, but only after the roommates have been living together at least three weeks. Often, issues can be resolved after the roommates get used to living together.
"College is a learning process," Schultz said. "It's all about learning to cooperate, negotiate and communicate."
SIUE sophomore Brittany Zehr said she has had a randomly assigned roommate before and feels these assignments are better for new residents.
"I was glad I did because you get to meet new people and expand what you've been used to," Zehr said. "You can step out from the friends that you are used to. It really helps you grow up."
Even with these preventative measures, roommate conflicts are still inevitable.
"Everyone hears the horror stories, and they are the examples of why not to live on campus," Gluntz said. "They range from using each other's clothes, personal items, having sex in the room while your roommate is sleeping to just being a night versus day person."
Still, the Housing office has found, more often than not, the problems come from roommates who did not talk about the issues before they happened.
"Nine times out of 10, the people who have problems haven't done the roommate contract," Schultz said.
Whenever a conflict between roommates comes up, there are many ways of helping them work through it.
"The Residence Life staff get involved to resolve the issues as quickly as they can," Gluntz said. "The RAs?(Resident Assistants) have a variety of options. There is talking with the roommates, ensuring that the Roommate Connections workbook has been completed, mediating the conflict, and of course, referring the students to the Hall Director or beyond. It just depends on the situation and the issues at hand."
If every option has been exhausted, and the roommate arrangement still does not work out, the Housing staff will look into switching the rooming arrangements, but only after the roommates have been living together at least three weeks. Often, issues can be resolved after the roommates get used to living together.
"College is a learning process," Schultz said. "It's all about learning to cooperate, negotiate and communicate."
SIUE sophomore Brittany Zehr said she has had a randomly assigned roommate before and feels these assignments are better for new residents.
"I was glad I did because you get to meet new people and expand what you've been used to," Zehr said. "You can step out from the friends that you are used to. It really helps you grow up."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Celebrity Skin Care
posted 1/23/09 @ 11:07 AM CST
I wish I could choose my room mate.
Judy Harness
posted 1/28/09 @ 12:43 PM CST
What happens when you follow all the rules, such as the contract and talking to your roommate, and as a result you anger your roommate. This is what happened to my daughter. (Continued…)
Heather Czerniak
posted 1/31/09 @ 1:20 PM CST
Thanks you, Judy Harness, for letting everyone know about your daughter's experience. I attended SIUE back in the 80's and there were similar problems then out at Tower Lake(now Cougar Village). (Continued…)
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