College housing trouble, your thoughts?

scorpionldr · #1 08-21-2008, 11:52 AM

Typically I wouldn't bring anything school related up here for the most part, but I'm in an interesting dilemma in which a guy who's supposedly an RA is trying to set up his suite with "four" people, and I happened to be smarter than the fourth kid that was supposed to sign up for the room. So I'm getting emails from this kid like this:

"Thanks for getting back to me, sorry for bothering you on your vacation I'm actually just leaving for mine tomorrow. I completely understand what you're saying, and I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I have a really close friend who I had planned on living with and things didn't work out during the initial registration due to timing problems.

I completely hear you wanting to finish out your last semester peacefully, and I'm offering to do all the hard work for you in the room change process. I'm very close with ********, head of the Residence Life Department, and can definitely work out a great situation for you. Basically I want to avoid a situation where we both end up in tense awkward living situations. My suitemates and I all planned on this fourth roommate and I don't want you to have to move in to this uncomfortable situation, so I think it will work out best for everyone if we figure out a better alternative.

Again I don't mean to offend you in any way, I really want to help you make this an east move in and make your last semester as comfortable as poasible. I'll be away but will still check my email as frequently as possible so let me know your thoughts on this as soon a possible.

Hope you had a great vacation, I'm looking forward to talking to you soon and working this all out.

*********"
this is all after I mentioned I have one last semester to put up with and I emailed him over six months ago about it. I told him basically theres no reason why this could've been addressed THEN rather than when he finally got to it, and I have no plans on moving out.

what do you guys think of this pile of BS?

fitbass3p · #2 08-21-2008, 11:56 AM

AmazingGracePlayer · #3 08-21-2008, 11:59 AM

Yeah I didn't get it either. What's you being smarter have to do with anything? (Unless housing does rooming stuff based on GPA)

scorpionldr · #4 08-21-2008, 12:00 PM

uh....let me simplify it:
I signed up for a college apartment six months ago. I found the guy who was supposed to be my roommate and sent him an email about it in march. august he finally emails me and tells me that there's been a mistake in signing up and he'd appreciate me finding somewhere else to live.

Sig Saucer · #5 08-21-2008, 12:01 PM

Don't go through the troubles through changing. Stay in the dorm that you registered on time for. If anything, he should be the one to move.

tplyons · #6 08-21-2008, 12:01 PM

Are you getting the boot? Is this what you're saying

scorpionldr · #7 08-21-2008, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmazingGracePlayer

Yeah I didn't get it either. What's you being smarter have to do with anything? (Unless housing does rooming stuff based on GPA)

being able to read a clock and a calandar has a lot to do with what caused this. the other guy, from what i'm hearing, can't.

coreyfyfe · #8 08-21-2008, 12:02 PM

So you're being booted from your room by an RA so he and his buddies can live together?

I'd bring it to the residence director yourself. If you were signed up for the room first, then it should be yours. It may make for an uncomfortable living situation as he said, but residence halls have always been (at least where I was) first come, first serve.

scorpionldr · #9 08-21-2008, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

Are you getting the boot? Is this what you're saying

nah, not the boot yet. more like a kind "get the **** out please, I'll sign your papers to move somewhere else"

scorpionldr · #10 08-21-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coreyfyfe

So you're being booted from your room by an RA so he and his buddies can live together?

I'd bring it to the residence director yourself. If you were signed up for the room first, then it should be yours. It may make for an uncomfortable living situation as he said, but residence halls have always been (at least where I was) first come, first serve.

yea, thats what i don't get! what the **** is so wrong with kids these days they can't even respect that?
I'm personally just thinking of writing back "if you can get me an entire apartment to myself paid for entirely by the school, i'll go with it"

AmazingGracePlayer · #11 08-21-2008, 12:07 PM

He can't just kick you out of your housing can you? I don't think anyone can do that, sue him, contact housing office, tell the Resident/Apartment Assistant.

Sig Saucer · #12 08-21-2008, 12:11 PM

Ignore the email and move in. Who knows, you might become good friends later on. If not, YOU tell HIM to "get the **** out".

Hawaii Islander · #13 08-21-2008, 12:14 PM

It's not that uncommon for dorm room or campus apartment swaps at the start of the semester. If he has another apartment assignment for an on-campus apartment, then it could be a straight swap. It sounds like the guy has been apartment mates with the other guys for a while and hoped to share an apartment with them again. No one can force you to change housing assignments, but if they can get you the same assignment (or better), then you might consider it. One semester I ended up getting a double occupancy dorm room to myself at no extra charge for agreeing to make a last minute move. Talk about peaceful!

Good Luck!

Pilgrim · #14 08-21-2008, 12:18 PM

I've worked at universities for 28 years.....

If you are signed to the room, he can't do anything about it. If you want to live there, go over his head and make sure you get to stay.

BUT - do you really WANT to spend at least a semester in that situation? It will be a real pain in the butt. I sure wouldn't live in that room.

My advice: go to the dorm authorities and ask for a change of room. They do this all the time and you'll be out of a bad situation.

tplyons · #15 08-21-2008, 12:28 PM

I agree. I don't know how your college does it, but our housing stuff is due in March or April. It's all straightened out before we leave school, so everything's discussed face to face. I'm living with the same guys I've lived with for three years, so it's all good.

Needless to say, you want to live somewhere comfortable. You're entitled to that space, and if your RA doesn't respect that, go over his head to the RD. It's THEIR job to make sure that everything is okay, and the RA is their subordinate, professionally. Perhaps the RA needs a reminder of that.

coreyfyfe · #16 08-21-2008, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaii Islander

One semester I ended up getting a double occupancy dorm room to myself at no extra charge for agreeing to make a last minute move. Talk about peaceful!

Good Luck!

I had the same situation happen when my roommate dropped out at the last minute. About halfway through the semester they ended up putting a transfer student into my room, but it worked out well, so you never know, you might like these kids even if its a little uncomfortable at first.

scorpionldr · #17 08-21-2008, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I've worked at universities for 28 years.....

If you are signed to the room, he can't do anything about it. If you want to live there, go over his head and make sure you get to stay.

BUT - do you really WANT to spend at least a semester in that situation? It will be a real pain in the butt. I sure wouldn't live in that room.

My advice: go to the dorm authorities and ask for a change of room. They do this all the time and you'll be out of a bad situation.

well, I can stay, because i'm definitely signed to that room......as far as WANTING a semester in that situation? I'm there to learn, primarily....I never exactly had a roommate I liked, and most of them left by the spring semester's beginning, leaving me an empty room. So i can really care less what the other guys think. I don't plan on spending much time in it when i'm free anyways.
tplyons, my college DOES have everything handed in march or april. however students that are not "arranged" with eachother basically don't know who their roommate is. I saw mine's last name, searched the room number on facebook, sent an email "hi, i'm your roommate" thing. I don't know what position he is in as far as school job or whatever, i'm pretty sure he's in or has been in a position of power.

my problem is just kids that can't be bothered to respond on time, can't be bothered to hold some respect to the other person, can't manage rooming situations, and then email you as if you have some moral obligation to serve and help them while they're stabbing you in the back. It's stupid, immoral, lousy, and absolutely unnecessary when you are in no other sense of the word, an EMPLOYEE of the institution, to take no responsibility for your actions.

another point, this "great roommate" of his hasnt even bothered to bring himself into the picture, or make an attempt to contact me as well. I might just be scammed into giving this kid an empty room!

****, well, I'm just gonna tell him to bring it up to residence life.

dave64o · #18 08-21-2008, 03:47 PM

Even if you're not going to spend much time there, the other guys can be resentful enough that they mess with your stuff or do something else along those lines. Not a good situation.

I'd say YOU should be the one to go to residence life, not the RA. Show that person the email, explain how you have every right to say no, but are reluctant to do that for fear of retribution that will make your one remaining semester there a living hell. Tell that person that you've been shoved into an uncomfortable, UNETHICAL situation and you want something better than what you have now as compensation for being put in this position BY SOMEONE ON HIS STAFF.

fdeck · #19 08-21-2008, 07:35 PM

Go to residence life, explain the situation to them. The RA works for them, so they own the problem even if they did not personally screw up. Let them know that you are willing to cooperate with them if they find a better accommodation for you, such as a single occupancy room at no extra cost.