All students living on campus at OSU-Cascades who apply by the application deadlines are eligible to select their own roommates and suitemates via our roommate search process.
Students who do not participate in our roommate search process will be matched with roommates and suitemates by REH staff through our roommate matching process.
About the Roommate Search and Matching Processes
The process of applying for housing and selecting a roommate can be daunting for students who are leaving home for the first time. We have compiled a list of tips to help you understand and navigate the roommate selection process at OSU-Cascades.
You and your roommate will share the same residence hall room. You and your suitemate(s) will share a bathroom if you are living in a room with a suite shared bath. These roommate selection tips can be used to find both a roommate and/or suitemate(s).
Set up your personal profile
As part of the housing application process you will answer profile questions that will be used in the roommate search process.
Your roommate matching profile is the primary tool used to determine your best roommate/suitemate match. Our system will compare your answers to all other students' answers and produce a percentage match between 0% and 100%. To allow for the best roommate match possible, answer these question honestly to the best of your ability.
Push yourself outside your comfort zone
While match percentages are displayed in roommate search results, that percentage or someone's answer to one or two specific questions are not always an accurate indicator for compatibility.
We encourage students to actively engage in conversations with one another before deciding to be roommates. Talk about your interests, your pet peeves, your routine, etc. Keep an open mind and don’t just accept the first roommate request you receive; have conversations with multiple people to see who will be the best fit for you.
Once you have found a roommate:
- Let others you have been talking with know you have found someone else to live with.
- Form a roommate group. This will guarantee that you and your chosen roommates/suitemates will be paired together during housing placements.
Hot tip: Don’t live with a friend. We won’t stop you from doing this, but we would encourage you to trust our experience when we say that it can be hard to live with someone you know but have never shared a space with long term.
Choose your living community
We offer living communities built around common interests. Consider whether one or more of these communities is a good fit for you. Students will be matched with and assigned rooms near other students who are members of the same community.
Be patient with the process
Roommate search is open for multiple weeks. Every day more students are completing their housing applications who will be potential roommate matches for you. Take your time to find someone you are truly compatible with.
Roommate matches must be completely mutual to be valid
Anyone you request as a roommate must confirm this request to be valid, and vice versa. You can see all requests you have sent or received and the status of that match in the myHousing portal.
Talk to potential roommates about where you want to live
If you want to be in a triple room, and your potential roommate wants to be in a double with a shared bath, that is a sign of a roommate match that may not work out. Talk with your potential roommate and edit your room preferences to match one another's. This will ensure you both receive the most optimal placement.
What should I do if I encounter bullying or harassment during the roommate search process?
All students admitted to Oregon State University - Cascades are bound to a Code of Conduct that, “...all persons must treat one another with dignity and respect in order for scholarship to thrive.” As such, we expect every student to approach the roommate matching process with an ethos of care for their fellow students. If you have an experience you think violates this Code of Conduct, please contact the Housing Office: housing@osucascades.edu.
Roommate matching for all students is based on gender identity, and not biological sex. Students are able to indicate the gender they identify with on their housing application, which may or may not match their biological sex.
Students will also have an opportunity to opt into our Gender-Inclusive Living Ccmmunity. This enables students to have more choice in who they match with as roommates, and how much gender identity information they want others to see.
What does this mean for you specifically?
We offer multiple paths to ensuring students find their best match possible, regardless of biological sex or gender identity. For example, if you identify as a woman, and want to find a roommate who identifies as a woman, you may do so. If you identify as transgender, you will be able to find a roommate without any restrictions based on your biological sex.
How does gender matching work in roommate matching?
Students who either choose not to select their own roommate, or are not eligible to select their own roommate (they apply after their corresponding deadline, or are a mid-year applicant), will be assigned a roommate based on the category of their gender identity and profile match percentage. Gender identity options are discussed below.
About our Gender-Inclusive Living Community
Regardless of the gender they identify with, students may also choose to live in our Gender-Inclusive living community. Students who select this option will be able to search for roommates, or be paired with roommates, regardless of gender identity. Students who select this option will only be matched with other students who also make this selection.
Students who opt into the Gender-Inclusive Living Community are expected to uphold a level of respect toward one another regardless of gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.
Why are there so many gender identity options?
In accordance with Oregon state law and in the spirit of inclusion, the university makes efforts to no longer define gender on a binary (meaning just “male” or “female”). In an effort to provide all students access to the same services at the institution, like roommate matching, we have identified 10 gender identities from which students can select the option that most aligns with their identity:
- Agender
- Genderqueer
- Identity or identities not listed
- Man
- Non-binary, gender fluid, gender non-conforming
- Questioning or not sure
- Trans Man
- Trans Woman
- Transgender
- Woman
By providing more options for students, we are able to assist students in finding a roommate with whom they feel compatible and also support our Diversity and Inclusion pillar.
What if I don’t want my gender identity to be visible to other students?
You will be given the option of making your gender identity private when you complete your housing application. Choosing to do so may give you more opportunity for open and honest conversations with potential roommates, leading to a better roommate match.
Who will have access to my gender identity information?
If you choose to make your gender identity public, other students participating in roommate matching will be able to view your gender identity. Outside of roommate matching, only staff in the Housing department who are responsible for making room assignments will have access to this information.