Wayne State students should contact Resident Assistants if the conflict with their roommates cannot be resolved through communication.

The first thing to do if a student has conflict with their roommate is to talk to your roommate and discuss with one another what the problem is. All students on campus are required to do a roommate agreement and that contract has everything that each student may or may not be okay with. One’s roommate may not be aware there is a problem, so that one on one communication is important to do. If that does not resolve the conflict, Residence Life has trained their RA how to manage conflict if it does arise. RAs are willing to sit down with students and figure out a proper solution so that students can be at ease with their roommates.

RA’s go through training over the summer to assist students the best they can. They go over what to do in situations such as roommate conflicts and even alcohol poisoning. They train two or three weeks before school starts and cover different topics and problems that may occur within the school year and help students learn how to handle those situations. RAs are there to help students and they are trained before fall and spring semester.

If a student needs further assistance, they can contact the assistant director of their dorm building and they can try to mediate the problem with them. Set up a meeting with them and they would be happy to help.

“Not every roommate is going to mesh a hundred percent, not every roommate is going to be best friends, but we want everyone to be successful and have a good experience,” Director of Residence Life, Pete Rizzo, said.

There are room change processes. Students can apply to change rooms but there is a limited time for them to apply. If they would like to change rooms, the students can contact the assistant director of the hall they are in and look at different halls and room options that may be available.

“Students should try to use I statements like when they’re talking to their roommates—I feel this happened, I feel this because of this, because when you use you, statements saying you did this it comes off very accusatory,” Rizzo said. “So just try to keep those things in mind.”

It is important to communicate and try to address problems right away.