Housing and Accommodations | May 14, 2024 

Hello Jumbos!

We know that housing assignments and roommates are top of mind leading up to your move-in day. This week's email includes information about the Housing Survey that we use to match roommates, the housing assignment timeline and process, and how to apply for housing accommodations, as explained by Kirsten Behling and Jessica ("Jess") White of the Student Accessibility and Academic Resource (StAAR) Center in this week's featured video.

If you have a documented disability and need housing accommodations, apply now!

Students with a documented disability (e.g., physical, mental, chronic, sensory, and/or mobility) who may need housing accommodations must submit their diagnostic documentation to the StAAR Center and have met with an Accessibility Specialist (online or in-person) by Friday, June 21 to be considered for an accommodation. After the June 21 deadline, we are unable to guarantee housing accommodations for the fall semester.

As Jess and Kirsten explain in the video, there are three steps students must complete to secure housing accommodations:

If you have any questions, email staarcenter@tufts.edu or call 617-627-4539.

Note: The StAAR Center process is only required for students requesting disability-related housing accommodations. The Residential Life Housing Survey is required for all students, including those who submit the StAAR Center forms for a housing accommodation. (More information about the Housing Survey for all students follows below). 

Incoming students are eligible to opt into substance-free housing in Wilson House. Substance-free housing is a welcoming, intentional community of students who make a particular commitment to refrain from alcohol, drug, or other substance use. Students may decide to live in substance-free housing for many reasons; past reasons have included:

Of course, all students are required to refrain from drinking alcohol while underage and using other substances, per the Student Code of Conduct, and these policies apply in all campus housing. Substance-free housing is a community of people who make an intentional effort to be substance-free on top of what the university policy requires.

You will have the opportunity to learn more about substance-free housing during the housing webinar. You can express interest in substance-free housing when you complete your Housing Survey.

Students are matched with their roommate(s) based on their responses to Residential Life and Learning's Housing Survey. It's important for you to complete the survey and answer the 10 to 15 lifestyle questions fully and accurately so that we can match you with a compatible roommate or roommates. Through the survey, you will provide information regarding your typical bedtime, how tidy you keep your room, and other personal preferences. The Housing Survey opens May 22 and must be completed by June 21. The link to the survey will be in next Tuesday's message. Once the survey opens, you will be able to access it through housing portal within the Student Information System (SIS). 

Residential Life doesn't accept roommate requests. Meeting and living with people who have traveled a different life journey to arrive at Tufts than you have—whose life experiences enable them to share different perspectives than yours—is key to the Tufts residential life experience.

While new roommates could become your lifelong friends, your initial encounters with people you have not met previously will help you develop such skills as compromise, advocacy, negotiation, and even conflict resolution.

Residential Life has a very good rate of success for matching roommates using the Housing Survey process. However, conflict is normal and expected when you are sharing space with other people. Healthy communication is critical from the very start. We have developed a Roommate Agreement to help you and your roommates navigate living and learning together. If concerns arise, reviewing the agreement with your Resident Assistant (RA) is a good place to start to resolve them and move forward.

As an incoming student, you will likely be assigned to either a double or triple room. There are very limited single rooms for incoming students unless you have been approved to receive an accommodation. You will receive your housing assignment and contact information for your roommate(s) by Wednesday, July 31.

This summer, as you start to plan what to bring to campus, Residential Life recommends coordinating with your roommate(s) to make the most of your residence hall space and avoid duplicating items such as a minifridge or television. For other tips about what to pack and what to leave at home, visit the Orientation Tips and Resources page.

MicroChill units (combination of a mini-fridge and microwave) are available for rent in our traditional residence halls through our approved vendor CollegeProducts.com. 

Order your MicroChill Unit now! All orders made before June 15, 2024, will be automatically entered into a raffle for a free year rental.* The unit's regular rental cost is $259 per year, which includes cleaning and insurance. Units ordered before August 1, 2024, will be delivered before your arrival on campus.

Students interested in bringing their own units may do so, however, only a mini-fridge will be accepted, but not a separate microwave. Use of the combination units are approved via our Fire Safety guidelines and students are not allowed to bring in microwave units of their own. 

*Raffle is for the full cost of the unit rental, not including cleaning or insurance.

Wednesday, May 22, 7 p.m. ET – Members of the StAAR Center team and the Residential Life team will review everything you need to know about on-campus housing and accommodations. Register and submit any questions in advance.

Tuesday, June 4, 7 p.m. ET – New Student Checklist 101 (For students only; parents and families have been invited to attend a webinar just for them on June 5.) Meet the Orientation team and review the New Student Checklist. Register and submit any questions in advance.

Save the date and register for the Academic Kick-off webinar with your degree program's Advising Dean and Senior Academic Advisors:

Orientation communications, including webinars, are archived on the Orientation web page.

Ahead of your arrival, each week, you will be receiving important reminders, key updates, and introductions to staff and resources. We will send all official University communications to your @tufts.edu email address starting on June 11, so if you haven’t already, please set up your Tufts email account now and check it often. Also, do not forward your Tufts email to any other account (Gmail, etc.) because forwarding can prevent your emails from being delivered.

Please contact Student Services at 617-627-2000 or StudentServices@tufts.edu.