It is the expectation from the Department of Housing & Residence Life that every resident who has a roommate complete this agreement.  Successful roommates co-exist safely and respectfully.  We recognize that roommates may or may not be friends, and may or may not have anything in common.  Moreover, we also recognize that residents can still be good roommates to others, even if they have nothing in common and are not friends prior to move-in. 

This roommate agreement is designed to help roommates discuss common issues that may create conflict in the unit while also considering roommate rights.  This form also has specific questions that must be completed by residents who have suitemates (MAPLE, OAK, PINE, DEVOS, PEW, PICKARD, SEIDMAN, STAFFORD, SWANSON, & KIRKPATRICK).

This agreement is required.  Please review this document and discuss these topics with your roommates (and/or suitemates) before completing it.  After your discussion, take 15 - 20 minutes and sit down together with your roommates to carefully complete this form. Upon completion, it will be submitted to your RA and CD for review.  In the event that a resident(s) receives a new roommate(s) or conflict arises between roommates, residents will be asked to revise this agreement or start a new one.

Under the HRL Community Living Standards, GVSU students residing in on-campus housing have the following rights:

• Right to a safe living environment
• Right to participate in residential involvement opportunities
• Right to a clean room at move-in and if the resident is to change rooms at any point
• Right to clean shared living spaces such as community kitchens, game rooms, lobby’s, laundry rooms, hallways, etc.
• Right to safely functioning fire safety tools such as fire extinguisher and fire alarm
• Right to all existing furniture and appliances in clean and working order
• Right to seek support via Housing and Residence Life staff to access any other campus resources relevant to the residential student’s needs and interests
• Right to report any violation of the Community Living Standards to
• Right to report to CARE (student well-being, student lack of resources concerns)
• Right to report Bias Incident/Campus Climate Concern (any instance where someone felt belittled, disrespected, or isolated based on their identity).
• Right to report to Title IX (sexual assault, rape, dating/domestic violence (Intimate Partner Violence), stalking, sexual exploitation, retaliation, discrimination/harassment).
• Right to report to Campus Security Authority

• Talk to each other and try to resolve the issue.
• Consult your RA for assistance developing a resolution.
• If necessary, contact your Community Director.

A guest is defined as any individual not contractually assigned to a particular on-campus living unit.

• GVSU residential guests must be approved by (a) roommate(s) prior to being invited into the building or unit.
• All guests must be registered via the Housing Guest Registration Form.
• Guests must be escorted (e.g., to and from restrooms and lounges) by the resident host at all times. Guests are permitted to use lounges only while accompanied by their resident host.
• Guests may not stay overnight for more than two consecutive nights in a row. 
• Guests who obstruct or disrupt the orderly function of on-campus housing may also be asked to leave by HRL staff members or GVPD.
• Resident hosts are responsible for any violations or damage caused by their guests.

NOISE - COURTESY HOURS

HRL is committed to the creation of residential communities that support an academic environment. Therefore, noise level in any unit may not negatively impact other community members. HRL staff may request residents to cease an activity in order to limit noise that could adversely affect the community. Courtesy is expected 24 hours a day. Residents have the right to ask others to refrain from making noise when that noise interferes with study, sleep, or general use of the housing unit. If a resident requests another resident to lower the volume or reduce the amount of noise, the expectation is a prompt and positive response to that request.

NOISE - QUIET HOURS

Beyond courtesy hours, residents are required to restrict the noise level to allow for studying and sleeping during the following hours:

          10:00 p.m.-10:00 a.m. Sunday-Thursday Nights

          12:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Friday-Saturday Nights

During quiet hours, spaces should be free from excessive noise. Residents participating in noise producing activities, such as conversation, listening to music or watching television, are expected to keep their doors closed. Sounds from these and any activities should not be audible outside the space. Any noise made in lounges or other common areas should not be audible inside resident spaces that have their doors closed. Quiet hours also apply to noise made outside the building or in nearby parking lots. 24-hour quiet hours are in effect during final exam periods.

Cleaning is integral to the health and safety of maintaining a shared living space.  It can also be a divisive factor among roommates.  This section is designed to get roommates thinking about a cleaning schedule and the importance of living in a shared space.

If you are in a suite-style, please connect with your suitemates at this time regarding general cleaning for your shared bathroom.

Each roommate has their own rights; see above.  This section is designed to allow for each roommate to discuss their personal habits and how they can spend their own time in their room without feeling disturbed or disrupted.

Another common disruption among roommates is the sharing of personal items.  This section is designed to allow for a discussion among what items will be shared and what will not.

For many roommates, social media allowed for people to meet and discuss living habits before they even met in person!  Social media has the power to bring people closer together, but it can be disrupting to roommate relations.  This section is designed to allow each roommate to discuss their personal online privacy preferences, including what roommates can and cannot post online about their roommate.

This roommate agreement is not an all-encompassing document; there may be many other concerns or discussions that will need to happen after completing this document.  This section is designed to allow roommates to discuss certain things that were left out of the agreement that may affect their relationship with other roommates.

1. We will first attempt to develop a mutually agreeable resolution by speaking openly and honestly with each other in a respectful manner.
2. If we are unable to resolve the conflict on our own, we will consult our Resident Assistant (RA) for assistance. The RA will schedule a roommate meeting at a time that all roommates can attend to help mediate the conflict.
3. At the roommate meeting, we will express our concerns during the meeting so that we can come to an agreement/understanding.
4. If after the mediation the conflict still persists, we will personally contact and consult our Community Director for assistance. Another mediation meeting may be held.
5. If the conflict still persists, Housing and Residence Life will determine if a student needs to be relocated based on all available information. 

Failure to participate in the mediation process (e.g. not attending meetings, not speaking at meetings) or repeated violations of a roommate contract may result in a resident being relocated at the discretion of Department of Housing and Residence Life. 

By signing below, I agree that I’ve reviewed all policies associated with on-campus Housing and the University. I also agree that the above statements and information provided are true and will do my best to follow this agreement throughout our year together: