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Residence students are entitled to enjoy a reasonable right to privacy in their residence rooms. However, the Department of Residence reserves the right to enter rooms, terminate contracts, repossess rooms or reassign students, and to initiate other steps necessary and advisable for the safety, security and well-being of the community and university assets.
Room assignments are processed on a lottery basis using the residence preferences selected in the application.
In the online residence application, students are able to select their top two residence preferences.
All students participate in lotteries for their first and second residence preferences. However, due to demand for a particular residence preference and the number of rooms available, students may not receive an assignment in one of their selected preferences.
Typically there is a greater demand for "dormitory-style, semi-private rooms" and "apartment-style, single rooms" than the number of rooms available. In previous years, all of these rooms have been filled after the first room assignment lottery is held based upon first residence preferences.
Students should contact the Department of Residence at housing@wlu.ca before submitting their Residence Application if they have any questions regarding the room assignment process.
A request for a room switch does not guarantee that a switch will be processed. Room switches are not guaranteed and will only be possible if another student leaves residence and if other conditions are met (see "What Circumstances Might Warrant a Room Switch?").
There are a number of different situations which could result in a room switch. Some of these examples are outlined below:
There are a number of different situations which would not result in facilitating a room switch. Some of these examples are outlined below:
Our Residence Learning Goals are designed to foster self-authorship among our residence students, we highly encourage that students directly work with residence to address any concerns they have while in residence. We will not process any requests for room switches that come from anyone other than the student.
When a student requests a room switch, they will be asked to actively engage in the process before a room switch is considered or approved. See the Roommate Conflict information on the Living with Roommates page.
A student should then connect directly with their Residence Life Area Coordinator to discuss if a room switch might be possible.
If a room switch is approved, when space becomes available, a room will be offered that meets the needs of the student based on the reason for the request.
If a room that meets the needs of the student is offered and declined, the student will be removed from consideration for a room switch and the room will be placed back into consideration for another student who may be waiting for a potential room switch.
In short, no. If a room switch is approved, when an appropriate space becomes available, a room that meets the needs of the student based on the reason for the request will be offered.
Requests will not be approved for students looking to move to a particular building or to live with/in the same building as another student.
We will not facilitate direct swaps.
If a student is approved for a room switch, they will not be provided with an opportunity to see the new room first or meet the new roommate first before moving forward with finalizing the move.
Students are responsible for the difference in cost between room types as well as any required changes to the meal plan. There is also a $150 Administration fee to process a room switch. While engaging in the process to request a room switch, students should share with the member of the Residence Management Team if a cost difference could be a barrier to accepting a room switch, which will assist the member of the management team look for an appropriate space before making an offer.
You are prohibited from subletting your residence room and from permitting its use by others, except as outlined in the policy regarding guests.
Contact Us:
Waterloo Campus
E:
housing@wlu.ca
T:
548.889.5572
Brantford Campus
E:
brantfordresidence@wlu.ca
T:
548.889.5575
Office Hours:
Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed daily from noon to 1 p.m. for lunch.