Roommate Agreement

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UW-Whitewater Roommate Agreement Form

When groups of people come together as a community everyone has both rights and responsibilities which must be balanced with the needs of others.

Your rights as a residence hall student include:

The right to a clean and healthy environment.
The right to read and study free from undue interference or noise.
The right to sleep without disturbance.
The right to privacy and freedom from interference with personal activities.
The right to free access to your room without pressure or intimidation from your roommate.
The right to expect reasonable and cooperative use of room-shared equipment and materials (electricity, TV, stereo, space, etc.).
The right to be free of any unnecessary emotional distress, discrimination, or harassment (physical, sexual, verbal, etc.).
The right to host guests with the expectation that the guest will abide by hall policies and respect the rights of the roommate and other residents.
The right to have conflicts resolved in a timely fashion.

The rights listed above are also your responsibility to other community members.

Utilizing

The success of your community and what you learn during your time here depends on you. You and your roommate will share a unique relationship this school year. Every roommate experience has great potential. Communication is the key. Even if you are in complete disagreement with each other, as long as the situation is clearly communicated, there may be at least an understanding or acceptance of each other. Regardless of your familiarity with each other, you are in a new situation and a different experience. You and your roommate will need to communicate to provide these things for each other.

Some people may be more difficult for you to live with than others because they may have very different values, goals and ideas. There are many sources of potential conflicts between roommates which can usually be resolved with good communication. When conversation doesn't seem to work any longer, your RA can help. RAs have been trained in many areas such as leadership, confrontation, assertiveness, programming and peer mediation. Their role is to assist students living in the residence halls to grow and adjust to college. It is common for an RA to be a mediator between roommates caught up in a conflict. They can provide impartial, objective mediation aimed at helping roommates talk to each other and resolve conflict. RAs won't make decisions for you, but they can assist you in reaching your own decisions.

An RA can be an effective mediator in the following situations:

When one roommate is intimidated by another and needs support in standing up for his or her rights.
When roommates are at such odds that they cannot speak to each other without fighting.
When one roommate refuses to recognize that a problem exists even thought is apparent to others.
When, after a trial period, a previously agreed upon solution has not worked out.
When a roommate is concerned about the health and safety of his or her roommate.
When two or more people have continually talked about a problem and cannot seem to reach any reasonable solutions.

If nothing else, an RA can help you think through ways to approach your roommate about your concerns. RAs are available for assistance but you need to ask for help. They cannot solve your problems for you, but they will provide support and understanding as you attempt to do so yourself.

Tips for Successful Roommate Relationships:

Talk to your Roommate: Be clear from the beginning. Tell them your pet peeves, likes, dislikes and little quirks. Communicating what you need and expect from the relationship is one of the best ways to avoid problems.
Fill Out the Roommate Agreement Form: This form provides a great opportunity for you and your roommate to discuss many of the issues that cause the greatest roommate conflict. It is important to fill out the Roommate Agreement Form early on so that you and your roommate(s) can discuss many of the issues that can cause problems later on.
Respect your shared living space: Sharing a space can be difficult, especially if you and your roommate have different sleep or study habits. Be aware of how your actions could affect your roommate. Talk to your roommate before borrowing or using any of their things. Be conscious of how many visitors you have over and the times they are visiting. Lock doors and windows when you leave the room to protect personal items.
Be open to change: You should expect to learn, grow and change during your time at school. Be comfortable addressing things that unexpectedly come up, setting new rules, and being flexible to your changing environment. If something is not working for you, talk to your roommate about it and be open to compromise.
Be open to change: Treat your roommate like you'd like to be treated. No matter what your relationship is at the end of the year, you can take comfort knowing you acted like an adult and treated your roommate with respect.

Tips for Resolving Roommate Conflicts:

Conflicts are a natural part of learning how to live with another person. Although you may start out as best friends with your roommate at the beginning of the year, it is likely at some point they will do something that bothers you. How you and your roommate(s) approach the conflict will greatly impact how it affects your relationship and the overall outcome of the situation. Here are some tips to help resolve roommate conflicts:

Talk to your Roommate! It is easy to let little problems go until they become too intimidating to talk about. It can be hard to approach a roommate with an issue, but remember people can't read your mind. If you don't tell them, they may not know they are doing something that bothers you.
Approach the person directly Try not to involve other community members or mutual friends. This can add to the conflict and complicate the situation.
Be Specific When stating the problem, be specific and non-judgmental. Provide clear examples of the behavior that is bothering you. Do not use derogatory words or over generalize.
LISTEN! Be open and understanding of to what the other person has to say. You are expecting them to listen, be willing to meet your own expectations.
Use "I" statements to own and express your thoughts/feelings. Don't make excuses or pass the blame.
Be willing to compromise Remember you are trying to win an agreement, not an argument. Conflicts are best resolved when all parties work together to reach a favorable outcome.
Offer solutions Try to offer some suggestions on how to resolve the issues you are encountering. Make a conscious effort to follow the items discussed in the roommate agreement.

If you are struggling with your roommate(s), you can always talk to your Resident Assistant, Assistant Complex Director or Complex Director about any issues you are having. They are trained to assist you in resolving these problems.

Switching Rooms

University Housing strongly encourages students to actively solve problems and views changing rooms as a last resort once all other options have failed. In certain irreconcilable situations, the Complex Director may make the determination that a room switch is warranted. In the case of roommate conflicts, students are required to complete the roommate agreement form and demonstrate a good faith effort has been attempted to resolve the conflict.

In order to accurately assess building occupancy, no room changes are permitted during the first two weeks of the fall or spring semesters. Students must keep all room furnishings set and may not discourage potential new roommates from moving in. All students involved in room changes must gain approval from their Complex Director prior to moving.