EUGENE, Ore. -- (Feb. 21, 2012) -- Preparing UO students to transition from residence hall living to off-campus life is an important team effort.
The University of Oregon and neighborhood leaders, the City of Eugene and rental property managers will host the third annual, Off-Campus Housing Fair from 1 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22, in the Erb Memorial Union ballroom, 1222 E. 13th Ave.
According to Patricia Neighbor, graduate student coordinating the fair, the event has been so successful for the last two years that the university is continuing to expand its focus to ensure its relevance to student interests and needs.
Approximately 4,200 UO students live in on-campus residence halls and family housing, and 20,000 students reside off campus in apartments, houses and other rental living arrangements in Eugene and Springfield. Next year, the UO has more space for returning students with additional capacity created by the opening of the Global Scholars Hall in fall 2012; therefore, the housing fair will include on- and off-campus housing options.
According to organizers, the goals for the event are to help students find suitable housing options and to increase awareness among students of how to be responsible and engaged neighbors and tenants. At the fair, neighborhood, city and nonprofit partners will provide resources and workshops to support students as they transition into off-campus community living.
"The transition to living in the community is a new and exciting period for students. The Off-Campus Housing Fair is an excellent resource that the university provides to support students through this transition,” said Neighbor. “The fair fosters students' ability to become engaged and responsible community members who develop positive relationships with their neighbors, landlords and property managers."
The free event is coordinated by the Office of the Dean of Students, and the Off-Campus Student Services and its CommUniversity Resource Assistant Program, with support of the Office of Government and Community Relations and City of Eugene Neighborhood Services.
Thirteen property managers will share information about rental opportunities available to students, focusing in areas close to the university. Students will have the chance to explore and weigh their housing options for the 2012-2013 school year. The Off-Campus Housing Fair also serves as an event through which students may begin to understand their responsibilities as community members.
Making the transition from on-campus living to the greater community is not just about locating a new apartment and establishing new found freedom. “When students move into the greater community, they also assume a responsibility to discover ways in which they can make a difference or contribute,” said Sheryl Eyster, associate dean of students. “Our students have tremendous skills and talents, through their rich classroom and co-curricular student experiences, where they can use their leadership capacity to transform and strengthen our neighborhoods. “
Contact: Julie Brown, UO media relations, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu
Source: Off-Campus Student Services, Office of the Dean of Students, 541-346-1468, communiversity@uoregon.edu
###