Housing, Roommates and Accommodations | May 16, 2024  

Dear Parents and Families,

We know that housing assignments and roommates are top of mind leading up to your student's move-in day. Your student also received an email this week with 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.

In addition to housing information, this week's email includes upcoming webinars. Be sure to register and submit your questions in advance. 

DEADLINE: 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 (Students should start the process now.):

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). 

Students are eligible to opt into substance-free housing, offered in the 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 university policy requires.

Students are matched with their roommate(s) based on their responses to Residential Life and Learning's Housing Survey. It's important for your student to complete the survey and answer the 10 to 15 lifestyle questions fully and accurately so that we can match them with a compatible roommate or roommates. The Housing Survey opens May 22 and must be completed by June 21. 

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

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

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

During the summer, Residential Life recommends students coordinate with their roommate(s) to make the most of their residence hall space and avoid duplicating items such as a mini-fridge/MicroChill or television. For other tips about what your students should pack and what they should 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. 

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 student's 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, June 5, 7 p.m. ET – Welcome to Tufts (This webinar is for parents and families only; your student has been invited to a webinar just for them on June 4.)

Academic Kick-off webinar with your student's Advising Dean and Senior Academic Advisors for their degree program. Parents and families are welcome! Register and submit any questions in advance.

Thursday, June 20, 9 a.m. ET – Introduction to the International Center
This session provides important information for incoming international students and their parents and families.

Orientation communications, including recorded webinars, are archived on the Orientation website.  

Please reach out to Student Services at 617-627-2000 or StudentServices@tufts.edu or the Family Engagement contact Carole McFall at carole.mcfall@tufts.edu.

Family Engagement