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Neighborhood
Relations
In Fall of 2004, the UA
Dean of Students Office launched an informal study
to gather information from students and neighbors regarding relationships between student and non-student neighbors living around the university.
The goals of this project were to build a
stronger collaboration with the community and
city leaders and to provide the foundation of
an outreach program that would help those students
planning to move off campus to develop strategies
for creating positive relationships with their
neighbors.
Neighbors and students were contacted
electronically and asked to participate in an
online survey.
146 neighbors and 133 students
were surveyed online. After the surveys were compiled,
the Dean of Students Office conducted two roundtable
discussions with neighbors and students who live
on or in close proximity to campus. The purpose
of the roundtables was to facilitate discussion
regarding the results of the surveys.
Educators in the Dean of Students
Office at the University were committed to sharing
the results of the focus group and survey data,
in a creative, non-preaching manner. We pulled
together a group of students and neighbors to
star in the “Desperate Neighbors”
video. The video was designed to give viewers
an understanding of what had been learned from
the research, and a take-home message about being
a good neighbor, whether you’re a UA student
or a long-time resident. An educational program
to accompany the video was developed and implemented
in early Spring 2006, for use in Residence Life’s
“Moving Out” program and Commuter
Student Affairs’ process for moving off
campus.
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