51³Ô¹ÏÍø

With the advent of several off-campus living programs for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø seniors, most notably the Neighbor to Neighbor initiative, ‘town-and-gown’ relations have improved steadily during the past two years, college administrators and village officials say.

The Neighbor to Neighbor program, created and maintained by Tim Mansfield, associate director of residential education, offers support and resources for both seniors living off-campus and for Hamilton residents.

The aim is to improve the relationship between students and their neighbors in the village. The program, which also educates students about ways to conduct safe and responsible parties, is in its second year.

Mansfield acts as a liaison between students, landlords, and village residents, offering creative suggestions on how to fortify relations.

When Mansfield started at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø three years ago, there was no organized program for students living off-campus, and town-and-gown relations were markedly strained.

Mansfield saw the need to educate students on how to live in the village. He created a guide for students, which includes tips on signing leases, hints on building relationships with neighbors, and lists of phone numbers of landlords, administrators, and area amenities.

Mansfield realized he needed to increase his outreach efforts, so students and village residents knew whom to contact in case of a problem. Last year, he met with the 260 seniors currently living off-campus. He visited every off-campus residence this year to ‘get on their radar screen.’  He puts out a bi-monthly newsletter, has an email distribution list with all off-campus residents, and has hosted events for off-campus students.

‘By contacting them (the students),  it keeps me in touch with them and they’re more receptive to me.  I’m building a relationship and a sense of trust with them. When they first met me, as first-years, to them I was a disciplinarian. That’s a hurdle I’ve had to get over,’ he said.

This year, the university has seen very few problems between village residents and students. And judging by the paucity of complaints received by village officials, the program has been a success for residents, as well.

‘The last two years have been wonderful.  I have heard of no problems.  What I go by is someone complaining to me about things going on in the neighborhood, and I’ve heard nothing,’ said Mayor Charles Getchonis. ‘I do attribute that to (Mansfield) and the programs.  Just the fact that there’s someone responsible for the off-campus students makes a difference.

‘What I really like is the get-together in the spring that (Mansfield) hosts to talk to the kids that are going to be off-campus in the fall.  He invites me up to speak to them.  The more they know about Hamilton residents as human beings, the better for the town.  I think this has proven itself the past two years,’ Getchonis said.

Seniors enjoy living downtown, and though the perks of free Internet access and free repairs done by college employees is gone, they relish the opportunity for true independent living.

‘I think [living downtown] has been a great learning experience for the real world, which doesn’t come equipped with a network plug-in and an RA,’ said senior Emily Wright. ‘It’s just so great to come home to a house instead of an apartment, and it’s filled with only my best friends.’

Senior Susannah Richardson said, ‘It’s annoying to have to worry about heat, electricity, leaky sinks and things, but I feel that it’s more than worth it.’

Mansfield also has introduced opportunities for students to become active in the community. Working with the Hamilton Initiative and the Partnership for Community Development, he has encouraged students to volunteer for events happening downtown, such as the holiday tree lighting ceremony in December, and the ‘Cabin Fever’ event to be held in February. Students also volunteered at last September’s Hamilton Streetfest.

But perhaps one of the more successful initiatives Mansfield has implemented is Party Smart, a component of the Neighbor to Neighbor program.

Mansfield has visited off-campus residences to provide information on how students can host a party responsibly.

Party Smart will provide the house with a stipend for nonalcoholic beverages and food.  However, if any issues arise during the party, such as noise violations or neighbor complaints, the students must repay Mansfield.

‘That’s the awakening moment; having the possibility of refunding the money, students have said it helps them be more aware of the guests and the volume, and it encourages them to reach out to neighbors to tell them. That financial motivation has helped,’ Mansfield said.

The program also has been a success among student groups.

‘We threw a party last semester and received a voucher for food and drinks at Tops (supermarket). Speaking to (Mansfield) about our party beforehand made me realize that I would be accountable for what happened in my house.  We informed our neighbor that we would be having a party and gave her our phone number to call if there was a problem or if we were being too loud.  It worked out well for everyone involved,’ said Wright.

Five parties have already registered to use Party Smart this semester. Mansfield is excited about its burgeoning success. ‘We trust students.  We are optimistic about students.  We want students to enjoy themselves but they have to do so legally and responsibly,’ he said.

Mansfield adopted much of the Party Smart framework from a similar program at Ohio University. He will present information about 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s program at a national conference for school professionals in Colorado. He made a similar presentation last year in Florida.

Mansfield noted the success of the overall Neighbor to Neighbor program is due to the collaborative efforts of various offices on campus.

‘It’s not just me out there band-aiding all the problems that may arise,’ he said.

He specifically cited help from the Center for Leadership and Student Involvement, the Hamilton Initiative, the Palace, the Center for Outreach and Volunteerism Education, and Campus Safety.

Mansfield and others expect continued success for the Neighbor to Neighbor program this semester and in coming years. With the extensive structural changes made to residential education, as outlined in the university’s new strategic plan, a real revolution in living and learning at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø is expected to occur.