Community Standards

Living in a residence hall at Texas Tech University means living within a community of students. This community is a dynamic place, composed of various people with different values, cultures, lifestyles and attitudes. As members of the community, we must strive to understand the individuality and life choices of those among us. We can best learn from one another in an atmosphere of positive encouragement and mutual respect. We must possess a genuine desire to learn from those around us, as well as give the respect and tolerance we desire from others. Each person has a role to play in our residence hall community, and should be allowed to do so.

University Student Housing and Residence Life staff members believe that for residents to be an important part of their residential community, everyone should have the privilege of shaping and building the community. We consider the creation of community standards as a guide for developing communities.

At a floor meeting during the first few weeks of the semester, residents will discuss and determine the standards they would like for their community. The community members discuss how they want to live together, how they will treat one another, how they will utilize their common space, etc. The outcome of developing community standards is for the members to create goals for the year. After the community has determined these standards, they are posted throughout the floor for all the residents and guests to review and follow. Community Standards are considered "living" documents, which means they can be modified if the community agrees to the modifications. These documents are reviewed frequently to make sure they continue to meet the needs of the residents who developed them.

The Community Standards process is a support piece designed to assist residents who live and study in a diverse community. By openly discussing and making group decisions about negotiable items, all students have the opportunity to participate as members of a greater whole.

Your Community Rights Include:

To sleep, study and socialize in your room without disturbance
To live in a safe, secure, healthy and clean environment
To be an active member within a supportive and stimulating community
To gain access to a variety of programs and services
To grow and develop as a citizen of Texas Tech University through interaction with other members of the community

Your Responsibilities in the Community Include:

To consider the needs of other residents and to balance them with your own needs
To provide open communication with other community members and Residence Life staff
To become involved in the community through participation in the community's government, the planning of events and caring for the facilities and the community environment
To promote individual and community safety
To demonstrate dignity and respect for all individuals

The Residence Life staff in each hall/complex is present to assist students in creating a positive living community. They work hard to create a residence hall environment that is conducive to academic, social and personal pursuits that lead to a student's success and graduation from Texas Tech University. By organizing floor meetings, educational interactions and social events, students and staff come together to enjoy all of the benefits and conveniences of living on campus.

Living on campus at Texas Tech University affords you many opportunities to face challenges, achieve success in a variety of areas and grow as an individual. These things only happen when you actively participate and support your residence hall community.

Adapted from In Search of Community, Ernest Boyer, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Roommate Relationships

Having a roommate is an exciting and often rewarding experience. It is important that you are able to establish and maintain a positive relationship. Roommates need not share every aspect of college life together, and are not necessarily best friends; however, all roommates need an understanding of one another's lifestyles, values and expectations.

Communication between roommates is the key to establishing a positive relationship. This relationship will contribute to your overall satisfaction with college life. You should discuss any problems that arise and should work together to resolve any differences. Keep in mind that individual rights to sleep, study and to privacy precede all other rights, including visitation and other privileges.

When a Conflict Arises

In private, approach the roommate or person displaying the unacceptable behavior.
Be direct and specific (not insensitive) about the problem or concern.
Discuss the person's behavior, not the person's personality (this enables the person to be less defensive).
If the situation does not improve, arrange to meet again with the roommate or person.
Each person involved should take a turn describing his/her perception of the situation, how he/she feels about it and what he/she wants.
Each person should agree to a compromise and help develop a solution.
Together, develop a plan of action and set a timeframe for the changes to occur.
Set a future date to evaluate the situation and renegotiate if necessary.
If a person finds it difficult to approach a roommate or a roommate is unresponsive, seek assistance from the community advisor. Take the initiative to act positively.

To assist you and your roommate/suitemate with getting to know each other and setting out some preliminary expectations regarding living together for the upcoming year, we encourage you to read and complete a roommate or suitemate agreement at the beginning of the year.