Residence Life Don – First-Year Communities
Dons are upper-year students that live with you in residence. They have first-hand experience of the highs and lows of university life. Dons are trained in Emergency First Aid and mental health crisis response. Talk to your Donwhen you need:
- Support transitioning to campus and university life
- Emergency assistance, including for a mental health crisis, for yourself or a friend
- Help meeting others in the community
Talk to your Don by knocking on their door or contacting them by email. If you are not sure who your Don is, email reslife@uwaterloo.ca.
Residence Life Don – Upper-Year Communities
Upper-year Dons are similar to first-year Dons. The difference is the kinds of issues they are trained to support you with. Talk to your Don if you are:
-
Struggling to find balance or managing the challenges of university life
-
Managing stressful responsibilities, like job-hunting, personal finances, or grad school apps
Talk to your Don today by knocking on their door or contacting them by email! If you don’t know your Don, email reslife@uwaterloo.ca.
Residence Life Don-Graduate and Family Communities
Grad Dons are graduate student leaders who live in Columbia Lake Village (CLV) and support the CLV Graduate & Student Family Community.
Talk to your Don if you are:
-
Managing stressful responsibilities, like research and work-life balance
-
Struggling to find balance or managing the challenges of grad school
Connect with a Don today by attending a virtual community event. If you don’t know your Don, visit or call the CLV front desk.
Duty Staff
Duty staff are available overnight from 8 p.m. - 8 a.m., 7 days a week. Duty staff receive extensive training in crisis response, including supporting students through mental health emergencies. Call a duty staff at any time overnight if:
-
You or a friend in residence needs any type of emotional or medical support
-
You need to talk to someone about anything at all, including feeling lonely, homesick, or unsafe
Call the Duty Staff numbers posted in your community, or you can call from your Front Desk. The CLV Don on-call is available from 8 p.m. – 8 a.m. every day and can be reached at 519-500-3037.
Residence Life Coordinators
Residence Life Coordinators (RLCs) are full-time professional staff on-call 24 /7. Some of them live on campus and are available to respond quickly.
Your RLC is trained to support you with any level of emergency, including mental health support. You can meet with your RLC for any reason at all including:
- If you need support gaining access to resources on campus
- If you are finding yourself struggling to maintain balance and self-care
- If you feel unsafe for any reason
Your RLC is happy to listen. Send them an email. If you’re not sure who your RLC is, email reslife@uwaterloo.ca.
Front Desk Assistants
Front Desk Assistants (FDAs) are upper years that work at the Front Desk of every residence building. They are trained to be your one-stop-shop for any support you need. Talk to an FDA when you need:
- Information on accessing a campus resource
- Help with personal or academic stress
- Support with any level of emergency
FDAs are great listeners, and they love when students pop by the Front Desk with questions. Visit your Front Desk or view their contact information here.
Counsellor in Residence
Counselling support is available to help you monitor, manage, and maintain a balanced life. Our Counsellors in Residence meet with students from all over campus in both of their office locations: MKV Residence and Needles Hall. Consider accessing Counselling Services at Needles Hall if you are looking for:
-
Individual counselling appointments (one-on-one)
-
Drop-in counselling (no appointment required on Wednesdays and Thursdays)
-
Urgent crisis counselling (no appointment required any time)
-
Personal success workshops on coping with anxiety, depression, or stress
To access any counsellor, you must first register on main campus at Needles Hall. Talk to your Don or visit Counselling Services today if you have questions.
