Date posted: 10-11-04

Editors: You are encouraged to use this story in your publication. Please credit the author and DeKalb News Service as shown. And, please send two tearsheets to: Jim Killam, Department of Communication, Watson Hall, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115.

For source-contact information, contact Jim Killam at jkillam@niu.edu or 815-753-4239.

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Hall monitor: With NIU roommate squabbles, Nitin Goil sees it all.

By Aaron Drey
DeKalb News Service

DEKALB -- Nitin Goil's phone rings one evening. It's a community adviser - they're the student leaders in charge of each floor in the NIU residence halls - calling for help. A resident is peeing everywhere except for in the toilet.

Sound like a normal problem?

"One of the residents was so drunk and intoxicated that they didn't know what they were doing," said Goil, hall director of Douglas Hall A/B wings. "They urinated all over the floor, in the trash can, and on the table. It just amazed me that people would act like that."

After the incident, Goil sat down with the student and explained the consequences. If the student didn't clean up the mess, he would have to pay to have it cleaned up. If the mess needed extra cleaning, the student would have to pay the extra money.

Drunken urination is not an everyday occurrence in the residence halls, but Goil faces other student-related problems and situations daily. His job puts him in charge of 500 students - even more now that he shares the duties for Douglas C/D wings, that area's hall director resigned recently.

Noise complaints, disrespect for others and roommate conflicts are the most common problems. Goil doesn't particularly like playing the disciplinarian, but he knows it's a part of his job.

"Sometimes it's just harsh being that parental figure, but I know it needs to get done," said Goil, who's 29.

With noise complaints, Goil first sends the student a warning letter. If the complaints continue, the student is forced either to write a two-page letter about respecting others during quiet hours or to serve community service that has to deal with quiet hours. Examples include passing out fliers, hanging up fliers and speaking at a residence hall meeting.

While noise complaints and disrespect issues sometimes have legitimacy (due to conflicting schedules and bedtimes), roommate disagreements often deal with petty issues.

A moved cereal box caused one fight that Goil had to break up. One roommate moved the other's cereal box from one spot to another and forgot to put it back. This set off a disagreement that made their community adviser call Goil.

One student came back to the room to find spilled sugar. Again, the community adviser called Goil to come and mediate between the two roommates.

Goil attempts to mediate roommate conflicts by sitting down with the students and the community adviser. If mediation doesn't work, Goil tries his best to accommodate the students, either by making moving arrangements or putting together a roommate contract. A roommate contract is a voluntary agreement between roommates, dealing with bedtimes, noise levels and other issues of disagreement.

The pettiness of some of these roommate squabbles amazes Goil.

"I really believe that college is about getting along with people," he said. "It's an opportunity for you to get to know people from different cultures, different backgrounds, different races. People should use that as a challenge rather than taking the easy way out."

During his college years, Goil didn't take the easy way out. Raised in India, he didn't come to the United States until after high school. Upon arrival, he worked in Boston and lived with his uncle for two years before going to college. Triple-majoring in mathematics, psychology and political science, Goil attended Northwest Missouri State University and received his bachelor's degree in 2000.

Moving on to Western Kentucky University, Goil received his master's degree in student affairs in 2002. While at WKU, Goil also served as a hall director.

Upon completion of his master's, Goil came to NIU in 2002. He's a full-time hall director, and also is enrolled in the doctoral program in higher education.

Even though he is only in his third year at NIU, Goil already has set up many successful programs for students. He loves helping with the programming for residence halls. It's a fun way for him to get away from the disciplinarian aspect of his job.

Goil has been involved in numerous programs concerning diversity. Some of the programs he set up include teaching students the Hindi language, showcasing and serving Indian food and setting up a museum for Black History Month.

Blanche McHugh, Assistant Director and Area Coordinator of Lincoln and Douglas Halls and Goil's boss, recognized Goil's program ideas, including his devotion to diversity.

"He has done a lot of creative things for the programs," said McHugh. "Dealing with issues of diversity is a real passion of his, and he brings it to the programs."

McHugh remembers one program in particular. Goil had his wife, Vishi, come in, and she did Henna tattoos for the students. Henna tattoos are not permanent, but they can last for several days, even weeks. The program drew a large number of students, especially Douglas Hall residents, and Goil would like to do the program again this year.

Goil has been involved in other programs around the residence halls as well. He has held programs about dating and homesickness. The homesickness program was popular among students, giving them pointers on how to succeed in college, away from their family and their home.

Goil has lots of program ideas for this year already. He likes to do programs that help the physically-challenged. He's working with one community adviser on a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. He'd also like to do programs on Parkinson's disease, cystic fibrosis, dyslexia, and stuttering.

"I like to do things which people usually don't talk about," he said, "or else nobody will."

A weekly television talk show is the biggest program idea on Goil's agenda for this semester. The talk show is only in the brainstorming stage, but it would be located in Douglas Hall and would follow the format of a late-night talk show, with speakers and musical guests.

Whether it be helping them learn or helping them with their lives, Goil is willing to talk to students about any concerns, even the controversial issues that people don't often talk about. He simply tries to further students' knowledge on the subjects.

It's all a part of his challenging job and Goil chooses not to take the easy way out.

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