The Housing and Residential Life Office assigns roommates based on the information you provide on your housing application. Please be honest about your living preferences (particularly as they apply to the cleanliness of your room, what time you go to bed, your expectations regarding noise, and whether or not you are a smoker) as we do our best to match roommates who are especially compatible in these areas. While our residence hall is a smoke-free environment, we always try place non-smokers together. Room and roommate assignments are made in early August.
Some students already know someone specific they would like to live with. You may request to live with a friend by indicating this preference on your housing application. We make every effort to accommodate this preference when both students request each other
Tips for Having a Successful Roommate Experience
It is important to remember that the residents in Sutter Hall come from a variety of socioeconomic, cultural, and spiritual backgrounds. As a result, everyone has different expectations for living in a residence hall and having a roommate. Some of our residents have never lived on their own before, while others maintained their own apartments prior to attending SFAI. Some students hope to become best friends with their roommates, while others prefer to keep to themselves. Regardless of who you share a room with and what your relationship with that person is, it is important that you are honest about your expectations for the living space and respectful of your roommate’s needs.
When you and your roommate arrive on check-in day the Residential Life staff will ask you to fill out a Roommate Agreement together. Having open dialogue about your lifestyle, expectations, and how you’d like to share space is sometimes awkward, and this form is designed to help you start the conversation. Here are a few things to consider as you prepare to move into Sutter Hall:
-
How clean do you expect to keep your room?
-
Where do you intend to study and complete projects?
-
Which of your belongings can and cannot be borrowed?
-
When are visitors welcome in your room? For how long?
-
How much are you willing to share about your personal life?
-
What do you expect from your roommate?
-
Could some of your practices or activities be offensive or annoying to a roommate?
-
How do you intend to solve disputes?
-
How do you behave when you are angry, depressed, stressed, or happy? How do you expect your roommate to behave when you are experiencing any of these emotions?