Has Your Student’s Roommate Withdrawn?
Winter Break is a time for students to rest, recharge and plan for the remainder of the school year. During this time, some students may decide returning to VCU for the Spring semester is not the right step for them and they may choose to withdraw from the university to explore alternative options. This means it is possible that your student may return to their residence hall to find that their roommate has withdrawn and they’re not sure what comes next. Do they keep the whole room to themselves? Will a new roommate be moved in?
Residents with vacancies in their room, suite, or apartment are prohibited from occupying the vacant space. Vacant spaces may be allocated to new residents at any time. In the event of assigning a new resident to a vacant space, Residential Life and Housing will make an effort to notify current residents at least 24 hours in advance or as soon as is reasonably possible thereafter. Residents should make every effort to keep the space neat, clean and orderly. Roommate/apartment mate spaces may be inspected by Residential Life and Housing staff to ensure the room is prepared for a new resident.
With any new living situation comes adjustment periods. When/if a new roommate is assigned to your student’s room they will need to learn to live with someone new. They should set expectations and discuss preferences early to ensure everyone is comfortable in their new living space. Check out VCU Residential Life and Housing’s Tips for a Great Roommate Relationship document for more ways to ease the transition.
Experience has shown that discussing the following issues will help prevent misunderstandings:
• Use of personal items
• Food in the room, suite and/or apartment
• Study time in the room, suite and/or apartment
• Sleeping schedules
• Visitation and guests
• Cleanliness/tidiness of room, suite and/or
apartment
• Use of stereo/TV/telephone/ computer
• Time for socializing
Please review the VCU Residential Life and Housing Office’s Guide to Residential Living for a full list of housing policies and procedures.
Categories Advice for Students & Families