Residential Life

Conflicts

The College Houses and Apartment Areas are home to many students with diverse backgrounds and lifestyles. They all have a common desire to further their education at the College. With this in mind, it is essential that residents contribute to a harmonious living environment through their own responsible and respectful behavior. Cooperative living should start with roommates, as they have the most immediate impact on your daily life. Below is a list of a few common sources of roommate conflicts. If you and your roommate(s) confront these issues constructively and set ground rules, communication breakdowns and future conflicts may be avoided.

• Daily schedules: sleeping times, quiet hours, television viewing, mealtimes, study conditions.
• Guests: overnight guests, non-mutual friends, parties, privacy
• Housekeeping: making beds, cleaning kitchen and bathroom, dusting, picking up clothes, interior decoration. What is "clean" and "messy"?
• Personal habits
• Use of personal property: sharing, getting permission, respect for another's property
• Moods
• Values: prejudices, religion, philosophy, politics
• Shared interests – separate interests

Resolving A Conflict

Should you find yourself in a conflict with a roommate or neighbor, the following steps are suggested:

• Approach the individual to discuss the problem and attempt to reach an amicable compromise, keeping in mind that we all have different lifestyles and values.
• Ask your House Advisor or Student Advisor for assistance if your attempts to resolve the problem fail.
• The College reserves the right to reassign students, as it deems appropriate.