House Dons are upper-year student staff members living in residence who strive to create a welcoming community environment, help you navigate York University and the postsecondary experience, and ensure community standards are upheld in residence so that residents can flourish. House Dons are committed to supporting your growth and success at York and in residence, and are available to residents during the day and after hours.

As frontline support for residents, House Dons undergo comprehensive training each year to enable them to build and maintain each residence community experience, as well as support residents’ health and safety. As peer educators, House Dons are trained to help students navigate academic concerns, stress management, roommate conflict, and more!

Don on Duty

A Don in each building will provide Don-on-Duty (DOD) coverage every evening Monday through Thursday (6:00pm to 8:00am) and 24 hours on weekends (Friday at 6:00pm until Monday 8:00am). The DOD is the point of contact for student support each night, including but not limited to lockouts, noise complaints, mental health concerns, and emergencies. Residents are encouraged to reach out to the DOD in the evenings and on weekends when requiring immediate support, as the DOD system allows other Dons an opportunity to focus on their studies and personal wellbeing.

Community Engagement Committee is an opportunity for residents to engage with and meet new people in their residence while planning and implementing events. Co-chaired by the Community Engagement Don and Building Representative, the Community Engagement Committee meets once a week to plan building-wide opportunities and events for connection. Members of the Community Engagement Committee will develop their event planning and leadership skills, as well as enhance their ability to engage in time management, organization, and collaboration.

Building Representative

One Building Representative from each building is elected annually from the Community Engagement Committee to serve on the Residence Student Advisory Group (RSAG). Building Representatives co-chair their respective building’s Community Engagement Committee and, through their role on RSAG, act as advocates for their communities when advising the Housing Services and Residence Life management teams.

Security Watch Officials (SWOs) are staff contracted by York University that work in residence buildings every night between 6:30 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. Their role includes monitoring exterior points of access to residence, conducting safety rounds of the building, and responding to breaches of security.