Housing and Accommodations | May 16, 2023 

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 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.

Following is an overview of housing as well as upcoming webinars for parents and families.

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 for consideration by Friday, June 23.*

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

*After the June 23 deadline, we are unable to guarantee housing accommodations for fall.

Students are eligible to opt into substance-free housing, offered in Carpenter House and 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. Through the survey, they will provide information regarding their typical bedtime, how tidy they keep their room, and other personal preferences. Your student will receive an email from Residential Life with a link to the Housing Survey on June 1 to be completed by June 24.

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. While new roommates could become lifelong friends, your student's initial encounters with people they have not met previously will help them 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 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 Monday, 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 minifridge 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.

Your student received an invitation to a webinar about housing and accommodations that will be hosted by Residential Life and the StAAR Center on June 5 at 7 p.m. ET.

Welcome new parents and families! The Orientation team will review steps new students must take over the summer to prepare for their fall and arrival. We will also offer tips on how you can best support your student's transition to college. Register and submit any questions in advance.

This session provides important information for incoming international students and their parents and families.

How can you support your student without overstepping boundaries? Hear from Tufts parents who have been through the first-year experience with their student. Explore the role that these parents play in their student's college career and hear how they partner with Tufts Student Life team to support their student's academic, social, and personal growth while encouraging their independence.

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

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