'Off Campus Living Guide' Wins Regional Award

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Wayne Young, regional vice president for NASPA IV-W, and Samantha Higgins

Off Campus Connections, a department within the division of Student Affairs, received the Campus-Based Publication Award for their 2015-16 Off Campus Living Guide from NASPA, Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education during their Region IV-West conference in Beaver Creek, Colorado, on Nov. 11. 

The Campus-Based Publication Award is presented to the institution that has developed outstanding materials which contribute significantly to the field of Student Affairs. The Off Campus Living Guide is in it's second year of printed publication and can easily be accessed online. The 15-page guide walks students though the process of moving off campus or living on their own for the first time. The guide includes types of housing, a budget worksheet, and a roommate contract. Once a student has secured a residence, the guide educates them on how to be a good neighbor, safety practices to implement or adhere to, and contact information for resources both on and off campus.

The Off Campus Living Guide has already reached the hands of over 1,200 students at events including RazorBash, Union Day, the Fall Off Campus Living Fair, and the Fayetteville Farmers Market. Off Campus Connections will use the guide to complement two educational Off Campus Living Workshops during the spring semester. The workshops will be held on Feb. 3 and April 13 at 4 p.m. in the Arkansas Union Theater.

"We intentionally polled upperclassmen students, property managers, and city officials to create content for the guide and are doing the same for the educational workshops in order to smooth the transition from campus resident to community member," said Samantha Higgins, coordinator for traditional commuter programs. "While both the guide and the workshops are geared toward students moving off campus for the first time from a residence hall or Greek house, upperclassmen can also benefit from learning more about landlord/tenant rights, city ordinances, and becoming responsible members of the local community."

The Off Campus Living Guide can be accessed online and print versions are available from Off Campus Connections in Arkansas Union 632.

NASPA is the leading international association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession in higher education. Region IV-W consists of 10 states and two Canadian provinces including: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Manitoba, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Saskatchewan, South Dakota and Wyoming.