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Roommate Relationships 		whats new
Whether you are a returning student, a new student living with a friend from high school, or meeting your roommate for the first time, the quality of the relationship you develop with your roommate is a major factor in determining how satisfied you are with college, and it can be an important influence on your academic achievement. 

Roommate Rights and Responsibilities:

You have a responsibility to your roommate!  By keeping in mind the following values and by demonstrating thoughtful consideration, you can make your residential living experience more satisfying.   It is important to work together from the beginning to establish an environment that allows both of you freedom with responsibility.  The most critical factor in this endeavor is to be honest with one another and to communicate openly.  Below are listed the basic rights of a roommate.  Remember that with any right comes the responsibility to ensure that your roommate is afforded the same rights.
  1. The right to an adequate amount of sleep

  2. The right to study without undue interference

  3. The right to an adequate degree of cleanliness

  4. The right to expect that a roommate will respect personal belongings

  5. The right to entertain friends with the expectation that guests are to respect the rights of all residents, including your roommate

  6. The right to personal time
  7. The right to speak your mind openly and honestly

  8. The right to be listened to

  9. The right to privacy

  10. The right to settlement of conflicts

  11. The right to be free from fear of intimidation and physical and emotional harm

  12. The right to live in a secure environment
If you feel that your rights are not being respected in your living environment, start by talking to your roommate in a calm and rational manner.  Your RA is available to help you practice how you might approach your roommate about your concerns or to provide some ideas on how to begin.    Remember that Avila University does not, nor can it, guarantee that you will attain each of these rights at all times. However, you can help to ensure that these rights will be honored through thoughtful communication and discussion with those living around you.

Remember that you are living in a community which is collectively responsible for the environment in which you live and that the only person whose behavior you are responsible for is you.