The Roommate Resource Service

Student Training Module: Abstract and Facilitator Information

Abstract:

Living with a roommate can be stressful…let’s face it, many student today have never shared a room and are now living in close quarters with another individual in a space that is most likely smaller than their room at home. This module is designed to assist roommates who are currently involved in roommate conflicts, through the exploration of issues such as conflict resolution, communication styles, and win-win communication strategies. A significant emphasis of this module covers the typical things that cause roommate conflicts with examples and ideas for the development of collaborative and compromising solutions. As a close, students are provided with a plan on how to work through conflicts if/when they arise, along with information on when to get staff involved.

Facilitator Information:

Sofia Bautista Pertuz is the Assistant Director for Residence Life at Teachers College - Columbia University as. She is a PhD candidate at Seton Hall University. Sofia has held former positions as Assistant Director for First Year Experience and for Operations at Seton Hall as well as Residence Hall Director at Ramapo College of New Jersey. She lives in New York City with her husband Antonio.

Lynn Riker is the Director of Residence Life at New Jersey Institute of Technology. Lynn has been involved in training around conflict resolution for 15 years. Throughout her professional career she has presented at student conferences (GLACURH and NACURH), professional conferences (GLACUHO, MACUHO, RELI and ACUHO-I) and staff training (Central Michigan, Seton Hall and New Jersey Institute of Technology).