My daughters college roommate quit school - Page 3

athenian · ‎03-18-2012

I'm sure the college had a policy in place for this; as others noted, this is not an unusual occurance.

Contact the Dean of Students and explain what you have done. If they say you can have the things, get it in writing. You should have done this first.

It would have been polite to contact the roommate's family and ask what they wanted done.

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

The university where I worked always overbooked dorm room assignments since they knew a certain percentage of freshmen quit every fall. Unfortunately, there were times they guessed wrong and students were stuck living in dorm lobbies. As for taking the stuff that students leave behind...at the university where I worked, each year volunteers from the community clean out all the things that are behind and hold an auction. Proceeds go to various charities.

KYToby · ‎02-19-2012

While I agree the school should have dealt with it, what's done is done. Usually, the law requires that items be held a reasonable amount of time before they can be considered abandoned (usually 30 or 60 days). I would hold onto them for a few months -- at least until the first of the year -- before donating them.

If your daughter happens to have the roommate's mother's cpntact information, I would send a letter (or text) saying that you have the property, would be glad to send it to her if she covers shipping, or that you will donate the items to charity after a specific date. that way you have yourself covered which is very important in today's litigious society.

bri20 · ‎03-10-2016

@meginthemaking wrote:
$200 worth of stuff? Like random school and/or dorm supplies?

I still probably would've just gathered everything and put it in a box, but not gotten rid of it myself. The school or the girl (or her family) could have handled it...?

That's what I'm wondering - what kind of stuff did she leave behind?

Mrsq2022 · ‎03-10-2010

I'm going to guess that it was just "stuff" and nothing of value, she took anything that she wanted and left garbage for someone else to deal with. I'd still hang onto it and wait. I know that dorms are small and you can expect a new roommate to move in when there is a pile of someone else's left-behind dorm junk hogging up precious space.

I think that the OP did the right thing taking it and I'd recommend she keep it in a box for the rest of the school year. The RA would have come and thrown it in the dumpster if he or she was willing to come at all. Universities do not operate free storage units.

I also think that it is interesting (not sad, but interesting) to see these kinds of life decisions made that change he course of someone's life at such a young age. Here she was, on her way to earning a college degree and perhaps a Ph.D. someday....hope that boyfriend of hers is worth it...

JustJazzmom · ‎03-09-2010

It's either free stuff for the other students, or your daughter could sell the items for some extra cash. But I do agree, the school should have handled it.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@petepetey wrote:
No, the school said they didn't want the stuff, and it shouldn't have been left.

A new roommate is moving in and it can't be there.

I will hang on to it for now and would gladly ship it if someone paid me but so far, no one has asked for that to happen.

You should have had the school remove the items. It is THEIR responsibility (if it is universitiy houseing) and not yours. I'd take it back to the owner of the building (whoever that is) and leave it with them.

IF you just took it, the girl's parents could sue you OR accuse you of theft at the very least. Get it back where it belongs or to the owner of the room's buiding ASAP.

petepetey · ‎03-09-2010

I just double checked with my daughter and the college shifted the ownership of the stuff to her, told her to do what she wants with it. There will be someone moving in to the room with her soon. She is already meeting with students that want to live there.

Like you say, the college has no storage and if you left it at the end of the school year they would toss it.

It was bedding, coffee, pillows, all things she didn't have room for. She took all she could when she left.

Still, I am going to keep it packaged up for now. If the parents wants the stuff they would let someone know and so far, they have not.

That boyfriend had better be worth it, but as adults we know how that works out most of the time at age 18.

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

It sounds like the girls mother wanted to get her away from her boyfriend. Turned out to be a costly mistake. It's too bad the girl couldn't see she could have her boyfriend and school.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@petepetey wrote:
I just double checked with my daughter and the college shifted the ownership of the stuff to her, told her to do what she wants with it. There will be someone moving in to the room with her soon. She is already meeting with students that want to live there.

Like you say, the college has no storage and if you left it at the end of the school year they would toss it.

It was bedding, coffee, pillows, all things she didn't have room for. She took all she could when she left.

Still, I am going to keep it packaged up for now. If the parents wants the stuff they would let someone know and so far, they have not.

That boyfriend had better be worth it, but as adults we know how that works out most of the time at age 18.

Stuff like this happens all the time when kids go away to school. I can remember it being pretty common that kids wash out, can't stand to be away, leave for another school, aren't happy, aren't doing well, run off with some other person. It isn't uncommon and isn't something I've ever seen be a big deal to the other kids.