Housing Assignment System

To be assigned housing, new students must complete a housing application during the application period. The housing assignment system then takes all of the completed applications and places them in date-order. The date used to organize the applications is the "housing deposit paid" date. Once applications are in date-order, the system begins to assign each student. The questions answered on the application are used to assist in determining the student placement.

If a student requested a roommate the system searched for a room with two available spaces. If a room with two open spaces exists together both students are placed in that room. If there is no room on campus where two spaces are available together the system will split the pair.

Students have the opportunity to preference a Living Learning Community on the application.  Please note these specialized options override the roommate preferences on the application.

Roommate Preference Request

Students are able to include a preference for a particular roommate on their housing application.  The request must be made by using the other person's student ID number when the application is completed.  The ID number is assigned to each student as they apply for admission to Salisbury University.  Please understand that it is a request and not a guarantee of the roommate assignment.   

Random Roommate Matching  

Salisbury University’s Office of Housing and Residence Life wants you to have a positive roommate experience.  During the application process you will be asked to answer a few lifestyle questions.  These questions along with your building preferences will assist us in pairing you with your roommate. 

Lifestyle Questions
Do you sleep late (after 10 am)?
Do you like a neat room?
Do you want visitors after midnight?
Do you study with distractions (music/TV on)?
Do you smoke?

We do not pair roommates based on geographic location, race, religion or music preference.  Students can have differences in the previously mentioned areas and still function well as roommates if they have similar wake/sleep schedules, organization styles etc.

When you receive your housing assignment and roommate(s) information in the mail it is important to make contact with them.  Do not go directly to My Space or Facebook, you should call your roommate(s) and talk to them.  Information found on these pages can easily be taken out of context and mislead you as to what your roommate is actually like. 

Roommate Contracts

All students will complete roommate contracts at the beginning of the year or when they are assigned a new roommate.  The roommate contract gives each student an opportunity to sit down and have a formal conversation with the person(s) they are living with to outline how they want to live in the room.  It is important to be honest when filling out the roommate contract because this document will be referred to if problems arise in the room. 
 

Roommate Concerns

If you are experiencing problems with your roommate it is important for you to go to your RA (resident assistant) or building director and talk to them.  They are trained to assist you in working through the problems you may be having.   

The room change request process is initiated with the building director.  They will work with the student(s) initially thru conflict resolution and mediation.  If  this is not successful then a room change request can be submitted. 

It is important to remember to communicate with your roommate honestly about what you are comfortable with going on in the room as well as if things are bothering you as the year goes on.  Your roommate can not change behavior they don't know is bothering you.

Room Change Requests

Students who wish to change rooms need to see their building director.  The building director will talk to the student about their request and advise the student if any steps are necessary before the room change can be submitted.  The student will be notified by the building director if the room change has been approved and arrange the check-out/check in process at that time. 

There is a "room freeze" from the time students receive their assignments until third week of school.  Any room change requests during the semester are ranked in a priority order and are done by space availability.  There are times we are 100% occupied and are not able to move students. 

Students who want to move mid-year should speak to their building director to submit the change request.  If students are requesting to move because they are not getting along with their roommate, it is important that the roommate concerns be documented by the building staff.