PLS-6E: Room Swap Configuration

Last updated: October 5, 2026

Overview

In this module, you'll configure room swap functionality—a post-assignment phase that allows students to request room changes after initial assignments are made. You'll create swap phases, configure approval workflows, and decide whether to enforce matching rules during swaps.

What you'll learn:

  • How to create room swap phases for post-assignment changes

  • How to configure hard rule enforcement during swaps

  • How to require both parties in phase for mutual swaps

  • When to enable room swap functionality within your cycle

Time: 6 minutes

Resident Cycles Only: Room swap settings only appear for resident cycles. Non-resident cycles don't include room assignment, so swap functionality isn't applicable.

The Room Swap Tab

The Room Swap tab organizes student-initiated room change requests that occur after initial assignments are made during room selection. This is a post-assignment phase that operates within your cycle timeline.

Navigation: In the cycle editor, click the Room Swap tab.

Post-Assignment Phase: Room swaps happen AFTER students have selected or been assigned rooms during the room selection phase. Swap phases typically occur during the residence period itself (e.g., September-October), while room selection happens months earlier (e.g., May).

Understanding Room Swaps

Room swaps allow students to change their room assignment after the initial selection or auto-assignment process. There are two types of swaps:

One-Way Swap (Room Change)

What it is: Student A moves from Room 101 to Room 205 (an empty room).

Use case: Student wants a different room that's currently available within the cycle's inventory.

Approval: Typically requires admin approval to prevent constant room movement and maintain housing stability.

Two-Way Swap (Mutual Exchange)

What it is: Student A (in Room 101) and Student B (in Room 205) switch room assignments.

Use case: Two students want to trade their room assignments, often to be closer to friends or preferred locations.

Approval: Requires both students to agree to the exchange, plus admin approval (if configured).

Room Swap Settings

Reject Hard Rule Violations on Room Swap

Toggle: Reject Hard Rule Violations on Room Swap

Controls whether your ruleset's hard rules (assigned in PLS-6B) are enforced during room swap requests.

When Enabled:

  • System validates the swap against your ruleset's hard rules

  • If a hard rule is violated (e.g., gender identity mismatch), the swap is automatically rejected

  • Students cannot swap into rooms that violate the matching requirements you established

  • Maintains consistency with original assignment rules from room selection

When Disabled:

  • Hard rules are NOT automatically enforced during swaps

  • Students can request swaps into any available room

  • Admins must manually verify compatibility and rule compliance during review

Best Practice - Enable Enforcement: If you enforced hard rules during room selection (gender identity matching, accessibility requirements, etc.), you should enforce them during swaps too. This maintains consistency throughout the cycle and prevents violations of institutional policies or safety requirements.

Require Both Parties in Phase for Room Swap

Toggle: Require Both Parties in Phase for Room Swap

For two-way swaps (mutual exchanges), controls whether BOTH students must have access to an active room swap phase.

When Enabled:

  • Both Student A and Student B must meet the applicability requirements for the swap phase

  • If one student doesn't have access to a swap phase, the mutual exchange cannot proceed

  • Prevents cross-population swaps between students in different groups

When Disabled:

  • Only the requesting student needs to be in an active swap phase

  • Provides more flexibility but less control over who can swap with whom

Common use case for enabling: You have different swap windows for different populations (first-years vs. upperclassmen) and don't want them swapping rooms with each other.

Creating Room Swap Phases

Room swap phases define the activity windows when students can submit room change requests. Unlike earlier phases (application, roommate, room selection), swap phases typically occur during the residence period itself.

Swap Phase Timing: Room swap phases occur DURING the residence period (e.g., September-October for a Fall semester), not months before like application or room selection phases. Students are already living in housing when they request swaps.

Why Room Swap Phases?

Room swap phases organize when room changes are allowed within your cycle's residence period:

  • Control when room changes are permitted (typically after the first few weeks of move-in)

  • Prevent swaps during critical periods (finals weeks, academic breaks)

  • Create structured windows when logistics can support room moves

  • Allow swaps for specific populations or situations only

Creating a Room Swap Phase

  1. In the Room Swap tab, find Room Swap Phases

  2. Click "Add Phase"

  3. Configure the phase:

Phase Name: Clear, descriptive name (Example: "Fall Semester Room Swap Window")

Start Date: When swap requests can begin (e.g., September 15, 2025)

End Date: When swap window closes (e.g., October 15, 2025)

Applicability Tags: Which students can request swaps during this window

  • Example: No tags = all residents can request swaps

  • Example: "First-Year" = only first-years can swap during this window

Typical Room Swap Timeline Within a Cycle

Example for a Fall 2025 - Spring 2026 cycle:

  • Residence Period: August 15, 2025 - May 15, 2026 (cycle dates from PLS-6A)

  • Move-in: August 15-17, 2025

  • Swap Blackout: August 15 - September 10 (first 3-4 weeks, let students settle in)

  • Swap Phase 1: September 15 - October 15, 2025 (early semester adjustments)

  • Swap Blackout: Mid-terms, Thanksgiving break

  • Swap Phase 2: February 1 - February 28, 2026 (spring semester adjustments)

  • Swap Blackout: Final month, finals period, move-out preparation

Swap Timing Best Practice: Open the first swap window 2-4 weeks after move-in. This gives students time to experience their room assignment and roommates before requesting changes, reducing impulsive swap requests driven by first-day anxiety.

Blackout Periods (No Swap Phases)

Avoid creating swap phases during:

  • First 2-4 weeks after move-in: Too early, students haven't adjusted yet

  • Finals periods: Mid-terms and end-of-semester exams create stress

  • Academic breaks: Students aren't on campus to coordinate moves

  • Last month of semester: Too late for meaningful adjustment before move-out

  • Move-out period: Logistics focused on departures, not room changes

Room Swap Workflow: What Students Experience

Understanding the student-facing workflow helps you configure settings appropriately:

  1. Student navigates to room swap section in their portal (only visible during active swap phase)

  2. Student browses available rooms (for one-way swaps) or selects a specific student to swap with (for mutual exchange)

  3. Student submits swap request with reason or justification

  4. System validates request: If "Reject Hard Rule Violations" is enabled, checks against ruleset hard rules

  5. Admin reviews request in the room swap queue

  6. Admin approves or denies based on availability, policy, and logistics

  7. If approved: Student's assignment updates, affected roommates are notified, logistics are coordinated

Admin Workload: Room swaps create administrative work. Each request requires review, approval, coordination with facilities, and processing. Budget sufficient staff time for swap management if you enable this feature, especially during the first swap window of each semester.

When to Enable Room Swaps

Enable room swaps when:

  • You want to give students flexibility to adjust after experiencing their assignment

  • You have sufficient staff capacity to review and approve swap requests

  • Your housing philosophy prioritizes student satisfaction and choice

  • You have available inventory to accommodate one-way swaps into empty rooms

  • Facilities can support physical room moves during the semester

Consider NOT enabling room swaps when:

  • Housing is at full capacity with no empty rooms for one-way swaps

  • Limited staff resources to process and coordinate requests

  • Institutional policy prioritizes room stability and community building

  • Frequent room moves disrupt hall dynamics or create equity concerns

Room Swap Configuration Checklist

Before leaving the Room Swap tab, verify:

  • ✓ Decided whether to enable room swaps for this cycle

  • ✓ If enabling: Created at least one room swap phase

  • ✓ Swap phase dates occur during the residence period (not months before like other phases)

  • ✓ Swap phases avoid blackout periods (early move-in, finals, breaks, move-out)

  • ✓ First swap window opens 2-4 weeks after move-in to allow adjustment

  • ✓ "Reject Hard Rule Violations" toggle aligns with your consistency policy

  • ✓ "Require Both Parties in Phase" toggle configured appropriately for mutual swaps

  • ✓ Applicability tags set if limiting swaps to specific populations

  • ✓ Staff trained on reviewing and approving swap requests

  • ✓ Facilities team aware of potential mid-semester room moves

Swap Configuration Complete: Students can now request room changes during the swap phases you configured within your cycle's residence period. Next, you'll set up move-in and move-out logistics including moving groups and time slots.

Key Takeaways

  • Room swaps are a post-assignment phase that occurs during the residence period

  • Swap phases happen months AFTER room selection (room selection in May, swaps in September)

  • Two swap types: one-way (to empty room) and two-way (mutual exchange)

  • Hard rule enforcement maintains consistency with assignment rules from your ruleset

  • Room swap phases define activity windows when students can request changes

  • Open first swap window 2-4 weeks after move-in to reduce impulsive requests

  • Avoid swap phases during move-in, finals, breaks, and move-out

  • Room swaps create admin and facilities workload—plan accordingly

  • "Require both parties in phase" prevents cross-population swaps

Common Questions

Can I limit how many times a student can swap rooms?

Not directly in cycle configuration. Swap frequency limits are typically enforced through admin review—you can deny requests from students who've already swapped multiple times in the same cycle. Document your policy and communicate it clearly to students.

What happens if both students request the same mutual swap?

The system handles mutual swap requests. Both students submit requests indicating they want to swap with each other. When admins approve both requests, the swap executes simultaneously for both students.

Can students swap with their entire roommate group or just individual rooms?

Room swaps change the room/bed assignment. If students are in roommate groups, the swap may affect the entire group depending on your configuration. Clarify this behavior in your housing policies and train staff accordingly.

Do room swaps trigger new Room Condition Reports (RCRs)?

Depends on your RCR configuration (covered in PLS-6J). You can configure whether swaps trigger check-out/check-in RCRs or are treated as simple transfers without new condition documentation.

What's the difference between room re-assignment and room swap?

Room re-assignment (PLS-6D) allows students to change their selection during the initial room selection phase (before move-in). Room swap allows students to request changes AFTER move-in, during the residence period. They serve different purposes in your cycle timeline.

What's Next: PLS-6F

Now that you've configured room swap functionality for post-assignment changes, you're ready to set up move-in and move-out logistics that occur at the beginning and end of your residence period.

In PLS-6F: Move Management, you'll learn:

  • How to create moving groups that organize move-in logistics

  • How to set time slots and capacity limits

  • How to configure rescheduling options and early check-in buffers

Continue to PLS-6F →