2008 Woodie Awards
Agreement helps roommate relationships
Amanda Woods
Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: Culture
- Page 1 of 1
By Amanda Woods
Staff Reporter
The roommate agreement given to students living on campus at the beginning of the semester offers insight and clarity to the expected behavior within each dorm room.
Director of housing Steven Hood warns students that after all four roommates sign it, the roommate agreement becomes university policy.
If rules are broken, the student may be called to an informal or formal hearing based on severity. Because most infractions are minor, the penalties are usually not so drastic.
A penalty for broken agreements may result in a change of rooms or a warning given by the student's RA.
Hood wishes for students to appreciate the tool given to them. This agreement, if used correctly, should clearly state the expectations of each roommate up front, so no one will be disappointed in the end.
"Communication between roommates is vital. This agreement is a tool to open the doors for better relationships," Hood said.
Hood encourages roommates to talk about their issues with each other; this not only helps in relations with one another, but also helps with relationships in life.
Daniel Gamble, a Franklin, Tenn., freshman, said he takes the agreement seriously, but does not see it as a binding document.
He sees it as a flexible agreement that may be changed depending on who it is affecting.
Gamble said, "If someone breaks a rule, we as roommates either talk about it or learn to compromise."
The agreement clears the air of many gray areas that some students wouldn't think to ask.
Gamble was comforted to see the agreement covered noise control and food restrictions.
"I find the roommate agreement helpful because it brings us closer as roommates and establishes a common ground for the apartment," Gamble added.
At the other end of the spectrum, Gallatin, Tenn., sophomore Meaghan Kelly and her roommates did not take the agreement seriously.
"We simply signed it and sent it in without talking to one another," Kelly said.
"We roomed together because we knew each other. Because we were friends, the document wasn't relevant to our situation, so we just didn't worry about it," Kelly explained.
Staff Reporter
The roommate agreement given to students living on campus at the beginning of the semester offers insight and clarity to the expected behavior within each dorm room.
Director of housing Steven Hood warns students that after all four roommates sign it, the roommate agreement becomes university policy.
If rules are broken, the student may be called to an informal or formal hearing based on severity. Because most infractions are minor, the penalties are usually not so drastic.
A penalty for broken agreements may result in a change of rooms or a warning given by the student's RA.
Hood wishes for students to appreciate the tool given to them. This agreement, if used correctly, should clearly state the expectations of each roommate up front, so no one will be disappointed in the end.
"Communication between roommates is vital. This agreement is a tool to open the doors for better relationships," Hood said.
Hood encourages roommates to talk about their issues with each other; this not only helps in relations with one another, but also helps with relationships in life.
Daniel Gamble, a Franklin, Tenn., freshman, said he takes the agreement seriously, but does not see it as a binding document.
He sees it as a flexible agreement that may be changed depending on who it is affecting.
Gamble said, "If someone breaks a rule, we as roommates either talk about it or learn to compromise."
The agreement clears the air of many gray areas that some students wouldn't think to ask.
Gamble was comforted to see the agreement covered noise control and food restrictions.
"I find the roommate agreement helpful because it brings us closer as roommates and establishes a common ground for the apartment," Gamble added.
At the other end of the spectrum, Gallatin, Tenn., sophomore Meaghan Kelly and her roommates did not take the agreement seriously.
"We simply signed it and sent it in without talking to one another," Kelly said.
"We roomed together because we knew each other. Because we were friends, the document wasn't relevant to our situation, so we just didn't worry about it," Kelly explained.
