Students considering moving out of their residence halls should first consider the well-being of their roommates.
Under the University Housing Residence Hall Contract for 2006-07, if one resident decides to move out of a double room, the remaining resident may be required to either convert to the more expensive single room rate or move in with another resident, possibly in a different hall.
The only way that a resident may remain in his or her room without raised room and board rate is if all of that resident’s belongings are kept on one side of the room and the resident remains available to receive a new roommate assigned by the University at any time.
What is not clear is under what circumstances the University may choose to exercise any of those options. The University may require any of the aforementioned actions of the resident, “depending upon administrative needs,” according to the contract.
Staff members at University Housing insisted that Sheri Donahoe, Associate Director of Residence Life in University Housing, was the only appropriate person to speak with regarding housing policies.
Despite persistent requests, Donahoe could not make time for a phone interview Thursday. When approached by a reporter at 5:20 p.m. she declined to comment, saying her workday was finished.
Meanwhile, students living in residence halls seem to be generally unaware of those policies. Several University Housing residents approached for this story were surprised to hear that the University is capable of disrupting their living situation at University Housing’s discretion.
Will Marin, a freshman currently residing in Hamilton Complex, lives in a double room but pays the single room rate. His roommate moved out shortly before fall term ended, leaving Marin to make a decision.
A week after his roommate left, Marin had still heard nothing from University Housing. He was not contacted about any possible residency alterations; he stumbled upon that information himself.
An area desk employee and friend of Marin’s informed him that he would have to pay the extra money or take the chance of returning to the resident halls one day and finding a new roommate waiting.
“I asked around and it was pretty much I either possibly get a roommate or I can just pay for the single,” he said. “I got a lot more done without a roommate so I just paid for the single.”
Marin said that the process was simple. He went to the Hamilton Area Desk, signed a form, communicated with his Resident Assistant and that was that. He said he paid an additional $720 for the remaining two terms.
The University’s policy is practically identical to those at both the University of Washington and Oregon State University. At Washington the policy is even more extreme, stating reassignment may include “assigning an additional student to double rooms (tripling) during periods of high demand.”
All three require residents to comply with policies, regardless of the inconvenience or expense.
“From a standpoint of the University needing to maximize the living capacity, I think it is fair,” said Marin. “You’re living in the dorms; it’s kind of expected to have a roommate.”
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