So while I was out, I guess the RAs for my building came to do room checks. I had a roommate but they moved out 2 weeks after the semester started so ever since then I have had my own room. Since then, nobody has moved in. The hall I live in is practically empty and only 10 kids live on my floor so there’s a lot of unoccupied rooms. Because of this, the chances of me having a roommate at all for the rest of the yr are pretty slim to none. I’ve been using the other desk and shelf in my room as a place to put my books (used to belong to my roommate). When I came back today, I noticed I got a warning from res life saying that I had to vacate the other side of the room. All I’ve really been doing was placing my extra books on the desk and I get a warning for that? Has anyone else gotten a warning from res life for something as trivial as this?
Yep, that’s policy in my building/school since a) you may get a roommate at any time and your stuff shouldn’t be where they’re going to move in and b) you’re paying for half of a double, not a single – that’s technically not “your” space to be using, anyway.
I can see the reasoning/explanation but it’s still extremely silly. As long as you are willing to move your stuff if they move someone else in and aren’t storing an extravagant amount of stuff there, it should be fine.
Sounds super silly to me. Bureaucratic BS instead of common sense.
I agree. Sounds silly…I doubt they are going to move someone in without notice. You could easily move your stuff and it doesn’t even sound like you have that much stuff over there. But what we think doesn’t matter.
That’s silly! This happened to me back in the day and I converted our huge double into a gigantic single. I even pushed the beds together to make a king size bed. It was pretty sweet.
Just move your stuff back to your side. It’s no biggie.
It is no big deal. Just keep your stuff on one side from now on. Technically since you are paying for a double the school has the right to ask you to keep to your half of the room. And maybe ResLife is considering moving people into your floor/your room at the semester break and want things in order.
They wanto be able to move someone in at any time…and also you are only paying for one side of the room.
Use the other bed for a couch or something though.
That’s silly. If you don’t have a roommate, you should be able to use the other side of the room.
My roommate left in the middle of my first semester, and I commandeered his side, no issue there. As long as you’re able to quickly move your stuff back over once they notify you about having a new roommate, there should be no issue.
Can you use the space without occupying it? Sleep in your bed, use the empty one as a sofa. Store things in your desk, study at the pristine empty one. Someone could move in easily and you get the benefit of the space until then.
It sounds ridiculous, btw, but I wonder, with so many empty beds on your hall, if you might not be the intended residence for a group returing from a semester abroad or such. Could that be?
Happened to me back in grad school. I was the only female in the dorm. I’d bunked the beds and put stuff on the second book shelf. Came in one day and the beds were unbunked, shelf cleared, and a warning letter. Never did get a roommate.
^ I find that creepy that someone would randomly go into your dorm room, res life or not, without a reason why or without you there.
(Current RA)
I don’t know about your schools exact policies but the reasoning behind this is multidimensional:
- ResLife & housing need to be able to move a new person into that space at a moment’s notice. They can’t do that if your stuff is in the way.
- When a student moves out the custodial staff typically cleans all of their stuff (including the bed, desk, dresser, etc) in preparation for the next resident. If you use that space they need to clean everything again which is not only inefficient but also costs money.
- You paid for one half of a double, not a single. Therefore, even though you live in the room, you don’t have the right to use the half you aren’t paying for.
Nothing will happen to you. Just don’t use the other half of the room and you’ll be fine.
@doschicos
Health and safety inspections are a fairly standard reslife policy - and the resident may not be present for them. Keep in mind that the space belongs to the university and therefore most (if not all) ResLife and housing departments reserve the right to enter rooms, conduct inspections, etc without the resident’s explicit permission or presence.
Yup, got a kid who is an RA as well. And have been one in the past. Familiar with how it works. Still think it is creepy because:
- Although Res Life does have the ability to enter at anytime, at least in the schools I'm familiar with, they don't without reason. If there was no given reason to enter the room in the example provided (no stated safety/health concern) what the heck were they doing in there.
- Your comment that Res Life can't move a new student in if one's stuff is in the way doesn't mesh with the fact that they moved the stuff in the story provided in #11. They shouldn't be touching a student's belongings. They could leave a note, speak to the person orally, but they shouldn't move the stuff. If they are willing to do this, they could do the same if they had to move someone in on short notice.
@saif235: “Keep in mind that the space belongs to the university and therefore most (if not all) ResLife and housing departments reserve the right to enter rooms, conduct inspections, etc without the resident’s explicit permission or presence.”
I am aghast at this, and mouth agape.
I think students have the expectation of having their dorm considered ‘their’ space as long as it is being utilized as agreed to (and barring any outrageous, egregious behavior) under the residential contract: as living space,wherein their personal belongings are kept * untouched and undisturbed by others, even by the university and its staff*.
How much of the room one takes up is negotiated by who lives in the room, and where there is one person in a room built for two, those are effortless negotiations. It is also human nature to kind of spread out where one can.
Feels like a scenario for Liberty Mutual Insurance: “Did you read page 23 of the contract? No!”
My opinion is definitely in the minority in this thread . While I don’t believe that the student’s belongings should’ve been moved, I agree that he should be expected to maintain his things on his side of the double occupancy room which he or his parents are paying for. If he wants or needs more space, then he should be in a single. I’m sure that there are many students who have lost a roommate who would love to spread out .
“I’m sure that there are many students who have lost a roommate who would love to spread out .”
I don’t think it is uncommon to do just that.
@doschicos And I’m sure that there are just as many that don’t and are able to follow the rules .
@carolinamom2boys My point is that many colleges could care less. As long as you are willing to move your stuff when needed, many colleges aren’t that bureaucratic.