Issue date: 2/11/09 Section: News

Trevor Sawyer, a junior political science major, plays table tennis with Derek Smith, in the Thomas Hall lobby on Tuesday. Sawyer said he wanted to live on campus because he wanted to get the dorm and college experience. (Karolina Strack / The Daily Eastern News)

Housing contracts are due Thursday, and students will have the chance to carefully answer questions in hopes of having a compatible roommate for next semester.

On housing contracts, students are given questions about their habits when it comes to studying, music and bedtime hours.

At times, some students are still left unsatisfied and wonder how the system works when given a roommate.

Mark Hudson, director of University Housing and Dining Services, said an auto-assign system determines assigned roommates based on the choices the students made on their housing contract.

On the contract a student determines what is most important: The residence hall of choice, room type — such as single, double, triple — the room or roommate.

Hudson said if a student is concerned about their roommate then "roommate" should be marked number one as their type priority.

"If a student chooses building preference as number one, then the system will override the other choices," he said.

Stephanie Covarrubias, a freshman family and consumer science major, feels the questions on roommates are too broad.

"They are not in-depth enough to get to know someone," she said. "I would like to see more questions on what people like to do for fun, because if you get stuck with a person who parties a lot and you don't, it could be a problem."

Hudson said the university encourages students to meet their roommate before they come to school to avoid conflict.

"Then they can see if they are a good match or not," he said. "If not then we'll use the same system and link them up with somebody else."

Hudson said he thinks it is best when students live with people they do not know.

"They are able to have diversity amongst themselves which makes for a more rich experience," he said. "You don't have to be best friends, but you also want to remain respectful."

For incoming freshmen, students are not given an option to receive a single room.

"We will not place freshmen by themselves as a rule," he said. "The reason, my belief is to help students develop a relationship with each other and help them with their sharing skills."

When it comes to roommate disagreements, Hudson said the university's goal is to make people work things out with their roommate.

"At first we want people to work it out themselves and be able to see if they can live together efficiently," he said. "We want them to decide if it is reasonable, or is it at that point where it is not resolvable."

Hudson said the university has trained resident assistants in place to deal with roommate issues.

"We have RAs that are trained to help people get through their issues," he said.

Covarrubias said an open line of communication between roommates helps to relieve the tension. "It helps get the problem solved right away in order to move on," she said.

Covarrubias said when two different people encounter each other they should be open enough to understand each other.

"They should be able to learn their perspective and views as well," she said. "Just because they are two different people does not mean they can not get along. One has to see where the other is coming from and the other should do the same."

Hudson said students also gain a societal experience through other people who live on their floor.

"If someone new has come to town, then go knock on their door and say 'Hello,'" he said. "Welcome them to the neighborhood. Reach out to your neighbors."

Hudson said community development is important when learned on campus and can be taken beyond Eastern.

"Community development is what people learn on campus and foster to take beyond campus as well," he said.


Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.

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