Room Changes & Roommate Resources
Residential students are assigned to bed spaces for the entirety of an academic year unless they are granted a mid-semester room change. Although sometimes necessary, it is our philosophy that continual room changes are disruptive to the formation of strong and healthy communities. Room changes are processed on a case-by-case basis and are not automatically granted due to high residential occupancy.
We know there are a variety of reasons why a student might request a room change, such as:
Roommate Conflicts
As roommates, suitemates, and floormates adapt to new living situations, conflicts are a normal aspect of that transition. Common points of conflict include different sleeping schedules, indirect or limited communication, and different expectations about cleanliness. Completing the Roommate Success Plan helps students engage in direct communication to set clear expectations.
We believe learning to respond to and manage conflict is a skill that supports students’ success in residence halls and other areas of their lives. To support that growth and development, when students experience roommate conflicts CLRE staff invite them to mediate as a first step. If you are struggling to manage conflict with a roommate, please reach out to your Community Coordinator for support and the next steps.
Emergency & Safety Moves
The safety and security of our students in our residence halls are of the utmost importance. We recognize there are times that emergency situations arise and require a room change to be made. Safety moves can be due to Title IX reports/cases, threats of violence, physical violence incidents, bias, and discrimination-based incidents but are not limited to these reasons.
Emergency and safety moves are made at the discretion of professional CLRE staff. If you believe you require a move due to a safety issue, please contact the administrator on call. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911 or GW Police Department at (202) 994-6111.
Needs-Based Moves
Students with a medical need requiring a room change should work with the Office of Disability Support Services to register with them. If approved for a DSS housing accommodation, the DSS office will let us know, and someone from our team will reach out to you with the next steps.
If you believe you have a need-based move that is not due to a medical condition we encourage you to reach out to your Community Coordinator to discuss your specific situation. Similar to all mid-semester room changes, we cannot guarantee needs-based moves that are not medically necessary will be granted.
Vacancy in a friend's room
Although infrequent, there are times when a student has a vacancy within their assigned room and desires to have their friend move in as opposed to a randomly assigned student. We know that living in a room with close friends is extremely important to some of our students, and do work to make these moves happen when possible. Moving in with friends can come with its own conflict challenges, and so we still expect chosen roommates to complete a roommate success plan. This supports a positive roommate transition and a long-term friendship.
If you have a vacancy in your room and have a friend that desires to move into this space you and your friends should reach out to the Community Coordinators of your building directly.
Administrative Moves
As stated in our Housing Licensing Agreement, CLRE reserves the right to move a student administratively at any time. Although this is not typically our desired option, please know that students may be administratively moved as determined by professional staff members.
Living with a Roommate in our Residence Halls
Learning how to effectively be part of a community and navigate the relationships you have with those you are living with is an essential skill for every resident to develop. REV UP@Home is our approach to initiatives and events hosted in the residence halls. REV UP@Home focuses on building skills to support roommate relations, conflict management, interpersonal skills, and community responsibility. These skills are essential to ensuring our residents have a positive experience at GW, and it also prepares residents for the future. Our team supports residents in building these skills through a variety of ways, some of which include roommate success plans, mediations, dialogues, and both active and passive programming.
Thinking about what you and your roommate can do together in the residence halls? Check out GW Engage!
Navigating Conflict in Your Room
CLRE trains Community Engagement Advisors and Assistants who are equipped to help residents learn about conflict and resolution strategies. They can also provide assistance in talking through conflicts within a room. Check out the tips below if you're experiencing a potential conflict in your living space! To talk to a Community Engagement Advisor or Assistant, reach out to your Community Coordinator.
Common Causes of Conflict
- Miscommunication
- Different expectations about what did or should occur in the room
- Difficulty finding a middle ground
- An incomplete or minimally completed Roommate Success Plan
Tips & Tricks to Cope with Conflict
- Complete your Roommate Success Plan and make a plan to revisit it.
- Remember to take a deep breath and remain calm/composed
- Strive to imagine the conflict from the other person’s perspective
- Keep in mind, awkwardness and uncomfortable feelings are natural and expected responses when discussing conflict
- Vocalizing a concern is usually better than remaining silent and allowing a problem to persist. The other person may not know that their actions are negatively impacting you
- Treat the other person the way you would like to be treated and, when you have a chance, ask how they would like to be treated