SFA Housing

Important Roommate Information

On behalf of the Housing Department, I would like to welcome you to SFA!

When you arrive to campus, your Resident Assistant will be meeting with you and your new roommate to complete a roommate agreement. The purpose of the agreement is to promote a shared communication with your roommate from the beginning in an effort to prevent small issues that may escalate later on in the semester.

You have the chance to get a head start on this process! Whether you will be meeting for the first time or you have been best friends since kindergarten, living in a shared space can sometimes be a challenge. Our Residence Life staff wants this transition to be as smooth as possible, so please take the time to review some of the topics you and your roommate will be discussing with your RA:

May roommates borrow food from one another? If so, how soon should it be replaced or paid for?
When do you typically go to bed and wake up? How about having a light on while the other roommate is asleep?
What about sharing and borrowing personal items such as clothes, CDs, etc? Are items such as stereos, TVs, video games and computers off limits or for mutual use? Is permission required for all items or just certain ones?
How often may guests come and how long may guests stay? How do you feel about overnight guests? Where do guests sleep? Is there a difference between guests and boyfriends/girlfriends staying the night? How often may they stay? (SFA policy is a 3 nights, twice a month limit on guests)
What's your definition of noise? What's loud and what isn't? What kind of music do you like to listen to? At what times should noise be minimized so others may study or sleep? Is absolute quiet needed in order to study?

Here is a sneak preview of the Roommate Bill of Rights. Please review this now so you know what to expect when you arrive to campus.

The basic rights of a roommate include:

The right to study free from undue interference (noise, stereo, guests, etc.) in one's room.
The right to sleep without undue disturbance from noise, guests, roommates, etc.
The right to expect that roommates will respect each other's personal belongings.
The right to a clean environment in which to live.
The right to free access to one's room and facilities without pressure from roommates.
The right to personal privacy.
The right to host guests at agreed upon times, and with the expectation that guests are to respect the rights of the host's roommate and other hall residents.
The right to expect reasonable cooperation in the use of the telephone.
The right to expect that a roommate will not violate University and residence hall policies in the room.
The right to expect that any and all disagreements will be discussed in an atmosphere of openness and mutual respect, and that it is acceptable, when any roommate feels it is necessary, to involve a residence hall staff member in such a discussion.
The right to be free from harassment and discrimination.

See you soon!

Jill H. Wheeler

Manager of Residence Life

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Stephen F. Austin State University

Important Roommate Information