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ResLife / Roommate Relationships


Harassment

The Housing staff is committed to creating an environment in which each student feels safe living in the residence halls and is free from harm and unreasonable interference. Therefore, students who engage in acts or communications that are intended to threaten, intimidate, or harass a particular student and to cause that student to fear for his or her safety, are in violation of the harassment policy and will be subject to severe disciplinary action.

Any behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment or unreasonably interferes with the educational or work performance of any individual at any time is prohibited. Harassment can be verbal, nonverbal, physical or written, and includes the use of technology such as the telephone, voice mail, answering machine, e-mail, or other electronic communication media.

  • Sexual abuse, sexual assault, or sexual harassment as defined by the Student Disciplinary Code is prohibited.
  • Stalking, which is defined as willfully, maliciously and repeatedly following or harassing another person in a manner that would cause a reasonable person to feel frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested, is prohibited.
  • Telephone/Electronic Harassment: Use of telephones and/or other forms of electronic communication to threaten, harass, intimidate, or coerce another person is a violation of federal law, state law and UMD policy; it will not be tolerated. Students are responsible for the use of and all calls made from the telephone in their living unit as well as all communication from their personal e-mail accounts. If you receive harassing phone calls or electronic messages, contact University Police (472-3555). For telephone calls, record the date and time the call was received; if the call is on voice mail, save the message by depressing "9" after you listen to the message. Save harassing e-mail messages; do not erase them until directed to do so by University Police. If you receive communications threatening your life, safety, or property, call 911. In addition, if you have experienced sexual or racial harassment, contact the Office of Equal Access and Diversity.
  • Hazing/Endangerment: Any act which intentionally or recklessly endangers the health or safety of an individual, or produces mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule, is prohibited.
  • Staff Harassment: The harassment of University staff, including student staff members, will not be tolerated. Any such behavior is disruptive to the residence community and will be treated as disorderly conduct. Students can expect serious consequences, including the possibility of immediate termination of their housing contract.


Nonacceptance of New Roommate

 When dealing with conflicts between roommates that become difficult to resolve, or when dealing with an aggressive roommate, it is the prerogative of the Residence Director to move one or both residents from the room.

An aggressive roommate is one whose acts or communication are intended to harass, intimidate or humiliate. One or both roommates may be moved under the following circumstances:

  • One of the roommates is an aggressive party and the person(s) being harassed refuse(s) to pursue appropriate action.
  • Both roommates are violating each other’s rights.
  • One or both roommate(s) refuse(s) to complete a roommate contract, or adhere to agreements contained within the roommate contract.
  • A violation of University policy has occurred.
University Housing may recommend sending a case to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and may elect to cancel a resident's contract should the resident be involved in similar circumstances after a move has occurred.

When a new roommate is assigned, the current occupant(s) is/are expected to welcome this resident and treat them with respect as outlined in the Resident's Rights and Responsibilities/Community Standards.

Failure to respect the Resident Rights and Responsibilities of another student by any current occupant of a room is considered a policy violation and subject to judicial action. Other actions violating this policy include, but are not limited to:

  • Intimidation/harassment;
  • expressing not wanting anyone living with them;
  • describing the new roommate's experience will be difficult in the assigned space;
  • any other disparaging comments made to or about the new resident or assignment process.


Resolving Conflicts: Your Options

 Conflict with others is a natural part of life and, sooner or later, we all experience it. Managing conflicts in a healthy, mature manner is part of the University experience. We encourage you to manage conflict by addressing your differing viewpoints with the goal in mind to improve your relationship. If you are experiencing a conflict with your roommate(s), your options include:

  1. Discussing the situation with the person(s) directly, and/or;
  2. Contacting your RA for assistance in phrasing topics you want to address with your roommate(s), and/or;
  3. Communicating with the RD about your interest in relocating to another room. Staff are prepared and willing to assist students with facilitation but are unable to make living decisions for them. RAs can either advise students on how to approach his/her roommates or can actually meet with roommates to facilitate a discussion, help keep the discussion focused, and encourage civility.
Only the students who are living together are capable of resolving their differences. If you do not want to continue living with your roommates (even if you think they are at fault), it is your choice to stay or move if your roommates are unwilling to move. It is inappropriate for staff to intervene other than to facilitate dialogue between students. Housing & Residence Life staff will not decide who is to move out and who is to stay in a living unit.


Room Entry, Inspection and Search

 University Housing, in order to maintain its property and a safe environment for students, reserves the right to have its authorized personnel enter and inspect residence hall rooms at reasonable times, as it deems necessary.

University personnel may enter a room, first by staff knocking on the room door and announcing that they desire entry. Reasonable time will be give for occupants to respond before entry is made. If residents are not in the room, a room entry report will be left to notify residents of such an entrance.

Staff may choose to enter a residence hall room for the following reasons:

  • when there is strong reason to believe that any term or condition of the contract is being violated;
  • at invitation or agreement by an occupant
  • to respond to a complaint of a disturbance, which includes hearing unreasonably loud or continuing sound from a room with the occupants failing to respond
  • to maintain an environment that facilitates the scholarship of other residents;
  • to conduct health and safety inspections;
  • to complete repairs to previously reported damaged items;
  • whenever someone moves out of a room, for check-out purposes;
  • for pest control;
  • and for any emergency reason (e.g., fire or broken pipes, etc.)


Roommate Trespassing

 Each resident has been assigned a specific space in housing. When one roommate moves into the assignment before the other and is occupying both sides of the room, it is called "Roommate Trespassing".

Encroaching upon the roommate's space is offensive, inconsiderate and inconvenient to the incoming roommate. Roommate trespassing is unacceptable behavior and violators of this policy are subject to disciplinary action.

Allowing a person to move into your room or unit that has not been assigned to your room or unit by a Residence Life/University Housing staff member is also considered Roommate Trespassing. Violators are responsible for applicable fees, and subject to disciplinary action and possible eviction.