Residential Life FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Phone: 413-538-2088
On the Web: Residential Life

My daughter has called upset about her roommate. How can I help?
Living with a roommate is a delicate transition that takes time. Students will often call home seeking a place to safely vent frustration and seek advice. We encourage students to be open and honest about their needs and communicate these needs to their roommates. It is essential if your daughter is calling on a frequent basis that you simply listen, encourage her to think through what is really bothering her, and most importantly urge her to speak to her roommate(s). It has been our experience that students who fail to get into conversation about their differences with their roommate(s) have the most difficult transitions into the community.

Each floor in the residence hall has a Student Adviser assigned to assist roommates in having the difficult conversations. Encourage your daughter to seek out her Student Adviser for support and advice. The Student Adviser is trained to specifically deal with conflict and tensions between roommates. The Student Adviser works with a Hall President and Assistant/Associate Director of Residential Life to make sure the residence halls are safe and supportive living communities.

My daughter is having trouble with her heat/room damage, etc. Who should she call?
Facilities Management works to preserve the campus facilities while creating and sustaining an environment that will support the best and brightest students. Your daughter may complete a service request form, which can be found at the bell desk of all residential halls. The request is filled out and sent to the Facilities Management office in the Kohler Building through interoffice mail. If it is an emergency contact Facilities Management by calling 413-538-2012.

How does my daughter go about getting a single room?
First-year students are not eligible for singles. Living with a roommate is an important part of the learning that takes place outside of the classroom. First-year students are assigned roommates based on information they supply on the housing information sheet. Listening and communication, personal advocacy, and negotiation are just a few of the skills learned during one's first year in a residential community. After the first year, all students participate our lottery system to determine their room assignment and roommate for the upcoming year. There are a limited number of singles available on campus. Priority for singles is giving to seniors, juniors, then sophomores. First-year roommate assignments are based on the living preferences your daughter provides on the Room Assignment Form.

My daughter did not get the room or hall she desired in the housing lottery. What steps should she take to make a change?
Students can complete a room change request form if they did not get their desired room during the lottery process. Room change requests are processed over the summer and notifications will occur via email. To ensure fairness and equity, changes processed on the room change request form are also based on class year and lottery numbers. Flyers and announcements are posted during the spring semester notifying students when the room change request forms are available and other deadline information.

My daughter is having difficulty studying due to noise in the residence hall. What can be done?
Student rooms serve multiple purposes. We ask students to be flexible in their expectations and understand that there will be some level of noise in the residence halls. Our goal is to strike a reasonable balance between the two. To achieve this balance there are established quiet hours for each floor. Residents determine and change quiet hours by consensus. Quiet hours can be increased at any point during the year. We ask students seeking quieter study space prior to quiet hours to seek out other study resources such as the library. After quiet hours, we ask students socializing to use the common spaces available to them, such as living rooms, floor lounges, or the Blanchard Campus Center. During final exam periods, 24-hour quiet hours are in effect.

If your daughter is disturbed by noise, we encourage her to speak with her neighbor and ask that they turn the noise level down. If the neighboring resident does not respond, your daughter should seek out her Student Adviser and/or Hall President for assistance.

Residence and study have priority over entertainment in the residence halls. Mount Holyoke does have a general noise policy and violation of the noise policy is a breach of the student code of conduct with judicial consequence.

My daughter is uncomfortable with her roommate's significant other sleepover. What can be done to reduce this stress?
Roommates are encouraged to discuss and establish guidelines around visitors and guests in the room. The Office of Residential Life provides a Roommate Starter Kit to help residents establish room guidelines comfortable for everyone. If your daughter and her roommate(s) cannot come to some agreement on room guidelines, she should seek out her Student Adviser or Hall President to hold a mediation. The role of the Student Adviser or Hall President during the mediation is to assist the dialogue and help the residents come up with their own solutions. If the matter is not resolved through mediation, the matter is referred to the Assistant/Associate Director of Residential Life.

What is the process if my daughter is looking to change rooms because of an ongoing or unresolved room conflict?
Physically changing rooms is not easy during mid-semester and is often viewed as a last option in resolving conflict between roommates.

Before a move is processed, a roommate pair should have:

1. Tried to reasonably resolve the problem on their own.
2. Seek out a mediation with their roommate(s) and the Student Adviser and/or Hall President. During the mediation, rooming guidelines are established to resolve the conflict. We ask that students try to implement the guidelines established before requesting a move.

Once these steps have been completed and no reasonable resolution presents itself, a student request to move will be approved. All requests to move must be approved by an Assistant/Associate Director of Residential Life.

What will be my relationship with the Office of Residential Life in resolving conflict involving my daughter?
Parents are our biggest allies and supports in managing the transition to college. Our goal in resolving conflict is to get each party involved in conversation and have everyone be a part of the solution.

Communication is the key to any successful relationship. We ask that you encourage your daughter to be a strong advocate for herself. Encourage her to speak up when she feels her needs are neglected. Encourage her to seek help when her individual efforts have failed.