Living with a Roommate

roommate

Sharing a Suite/Bathroom

In order to successfully share a room, all persons must be respectful, adaptable, and open to communication. Learning to live with another person, to acknowledge and respect each other's differences, and to allow one another the space to grow are some of the most valuable parts of the residence experience. It is not our expectation that roommates become best friends; however, it is important that students take this opportunity to learn new things and develop.

Living in residence can lead to great memories and lifelong friendships! It is important to embrace differences and be open to new ideas. Experience has shown that discussing the following issues can help roommates prevent misunderstandings:

  • Use of personal items
  • Study time in the room
  • Different sleep schedules
  • Visitors and guests
  • Cleanliness/tidiness of room
  • Use of stereo/TV/computer
  • Time for socializing
  • Space for clothes/luggage
  • Food in the room/fridge space
  • Lifestyle

Roommate Sucess Plan

You will receive a link to our Roommate Success Plan from your Resident Assistant during Welcome Week. We encourage you to sit down with your roommate (and bathroom partners in Cartier) to discuss the topics covered in the Roommate Success Plan. If you need help facilitating this conversation, your Resident Assistant will be happy to assist you; however, we encourage you to try on your own first.

At any time, if you feel that you need to review the agreement with your roommate, you can log into your eRezLife account to view it and your RA can assist you in making changes if both roommates agree.

When you receive the link to your Roommate Success Plan you will need to follow these instructions:

  1. One of each pair of roommates will receive an email with a link to log into eRezLife to complete the Roommate Success Plan.
  2. Both roommates will have to activate their eRezLife account by creating a password using your University of Windsor email address and student number either at the link that is sent via email or by visiting our eRezLife page and following the instructions to create an account.
  3. Schedule a time for both roommates to complete the plan together. Once the form is completed and signed by one of the roommates they will send it to the other roommate to sign.
  4. Once both roommates have signed the agreement they will send it to the Resident Assistant.

Roommate ConflictsClick and drag to move

Should a roommate conflict occur, students are required to follow the process below:

Speak directly to your roommate about your concerns.

If the issue continues, approach your Residence Assistant (RA) who will sit down with both parties to do a mediation. This may take more than one meeting to find a resolution.

In the event that mediation does not work, ask your Resident Assistant to speak to your Residence Life Coordinator about finding an alternative solution.

In the event that the above process has determined that a room switch is the best solution for the conflict, the student who made the complaint may be the one to move.


Roommate Mediaton

Roommate mediation is an assisted dispute resolution process in which you and you roommate discuss your concerns in a controlled and respectful manner in the presence of the RA. For some individuals, communicating their feelings and their needs is somewhat of an uncomfortable process-especially in a dispute situation. With the help of a trained RLS member, residents can articulate their thoughts in a safe and neutral environment.

This process involves each roommate focusing on established expectations and the specific steps necessary to carry out the agreed upon solution so that you and your roommate continue to be supported as the solution is implemented in your daily interactions. 

Note: We will not share information about your situation with anyone (including your parents), due to FIPPA Government Privacy Legislation.


Room Change Process

If there is a roommate conflict, residents must first attempt to resolve the matter between them. This includes talking about the issue or creating a roommate agreement contract.
If residents are unable to resolve a conflict on their own, they must contact their RA who will then facilitate a mediation with the parties involved.
Complete the roommate switch request form which can be found...

Schedule a meeting with your Residence Life Coordinator to discuss possible room switch.