Off-Campus Living Workshop Aids Transition to Life After the Residence Hall

Photo Submitted

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Any student who currently lives off campus or is considering moving off campus is invited to attend the Off Campus Living Workshop, to be held 4-5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, in the Arkansas Union Theatre.

With the end of the school year fast approaching, students need to secure their living arrangements for fall soon.

The workshop will educate students about rental applications and leases, landlord/tenant rights, City of Fayetteville codes, and more. This workshop is intended to reduce students' stress in moving off campus and to promote responsibility in their new role as members of the local community.

Sami Belford is a program assistant in Off Campus Connections and a senior who has lived off campus for three years. 

"No matter how long you've lived off campus, there is always more to know," Belford said. Just this year I learned that Fayetteville charges for waste removal based on the size of trash container you have. I had been using the container already at my duplex when I moved in, but I could have saved $5 each month if I had downsized to a smaller container."

"Off Campus Connections was asked to share off-campus living information for several University Perspectives classes last fall, so we decided that holding a workshop in a central campus location for all students to attend would be a good idea," said Samantha Higgins, assistant director for the department.

The University of Arkansas requires first-year students to live on campus, with few exceptions. University Housing is still accepting contracts for upperclassmen to live on campus, however students need to act quickly to secure a spot.

Off Campus Connections is hosting the workshop and will detail how to search for local off-campus housing on the university's official off-campus housing website, offcampushousing.uark.edu. Off Campus Connections will change its name to Off-Campus Student Services on May 16.

For questions about this workshop, please contact graduate assistant, Margaret Hindman at 479-575-7351 or email Margaret at occ@uark.edu.