Knowing Your Neighbors, Part 2. Living off campus: Regis and beyond
Maricor Coquia, Staff Reporter
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This week's feature continues the Highlander's examination of Regis University and community relations, particularly the impact of off campus living. Programs instituted at other schools suggest the need for coordinated and creative action at Regis. Specifically, better information on the whereabouts of local off campus students would facilitate communication. Our series is intended to supply readers with background for the March 2 Regis University-Berkeley neighborhood dialogue.
-- Highlander editorial staff
Early last December, a Regis neighbor expressed his frustration with Regis student behavior. "We've tried so many times to reason with this student, and yet, we feel disrespected. Parties two, three times a week. It came to a point where I had enough-I signed a complaint."
Similarly, Jason Pfeiffer, a resident living in vicinity of the University of Arizona commented in the Arizona Daily Wildcat, "The students have been cranking up their stereos up to full blast until 4 a.m., leaving empty beer cans in their yard and other neighbors' yards, and showing a total lack of respect to the community's desire for quiet nights."
Complaints like these aren't new from campus neighbors around the country. Students, however, are telling a different story.
Student Jon Edwards, a marketing senior at the U. of Arizona said, "These residents need to simply understand and accept that college students live around here."
A Regis freshman similarly commented, "Our neighbors need to realize we're young and learning how to live on our own. It's our freedom they're trying to take away," she said. "I bet when they were our age, they felt the same way."
Christine Mayorga, also a Regis freshman, expressed, "I'm renting next semester. It'll be my property, my responsibility," she said. "But I can understand if neighbors are going to be upset. If there's a party house across from me, I'd be upset too. It's rude. "
What's the problem?
Nationwide, college campuses have been feeling the pressure of disappointed neighbors and frustrated students seeking to live cooperatively in their respective neighborhoods. However, as neighbors continue to complain about their rowdy student residents and students continue to feel stripped of their college independence, the search for a proactive and effective solution has urged university officials to take notice.
The problem seems to stem from a number of issues, including student misconduct, underage drinking, and difficulties in enforcing policy. Regis, recognizing these issues, is not far behind in its search for a viable solution.
Last December, Regis faculty member Dr. Mary Beth Callie, assistant professor of Communication, in collaboration with Paul Alexander, director of the Institute on Common Good, organized a dialogue between Regis and its neighbors. The dialogue began as a class project, in which Callie's public speaking students surveyed nearby neighbors, and listened to community speakers. Based on their findings, the goal of the dialogue was to "bridge the community surrounding Regis and the university itself as a way to find solutions for ongoing problems facing the area," including student behavior and neighbor etiquette.
The dialogue with neighbors at Regis coincided with the formation of a neighborhood association, Berkeley-Regis United Neighbors (BRUN). The new association represents residents who live between 38th and 52nd Avenues and Federal and Sheridan. They met several weeks ago to elect board members. The next BRUN meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 21, at the Oriental Theater on the corner of 44th Avenue and Tennyson. The follow-up university-neighborhood dialogue is also scheduled for Thursday, March 2, in Main Hall 333 at 7 p.m. At this meeting, faculty, staff, administrators, and students will gather with BRUN to address the ongoing frustrations about student-neighborhood relations.
Solutions at other schools
According to the Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University has taken a costly approach to warn it students of out of control behavior. "Quiet Nights," a program funded by the Bloomington Police Department in enforcement of the City of Bloomington's noise ordinance, began a program last semester aimed at controlling intolerable noise levels during late hours of the night. A taxpayer program, the Indiana Student University Student Association collaborated with six neighborhoods surrounding the campus to pass out 5,000 doorknob hangers in "an effort to educate the community" about the program, which mandates a $50 fine to every resident violating the noise regulation.
A similar restriction is in place for student residents surrounding the University of Florida, where the Gainesville Code of Ordinances "restricts noise, prohibits parking on front lawns and only allows three or fewer unrelated people to live in a house in areas zoned as 'single-family neighborhoods". According to the Independent Florida Alligator, a $125 citation is issued for ongoing problems within a 90-day span, $250 for a third offense, and a mandatory court appearance for a fourth warning. Committees have also considered raising landlord permit costs, whom, with the rising real estate costs, seem to be providing students eager to
live off campus a cheap alternative by allowing more than the persons legally permitted to live in one house.
Joe Schmidt, a University Park Neighborhood Association member of the U. of Florida, doesn't think fining students solves the problem, however. He says, "We're paying police professionals to baby-sit rich kids". Gainesville City Attorney Marion Radson similarly comments, "The [larger] problem is that the University of Florida continues to grow. There is no new campus housing," Radson said. "So what is the result? There are more rental houses in our neighborhoods."
Likewise, Regis, feeling the crunch of a larger student body, has seen housing demands increase. According to Kristen Wall, assistant director for residence life, out of a 1260 student body, 597 students are living on campus, while at least 191 Regis students are living in near vicinity of Regis. These students are subject to the Public Nuisance Abatement Ordinance, enforced by Denver Police to help restrict disruptive behavior. Beginning at 10:00 p.m. through 7:00 a.m., community members of the Denver area are encouraged to help limit the amount of "disturbances" and "gang-related criminal activity". Offenses can cost a minimum of $500 to a year suspension in jail of up to $999. Expulsion from the residence after repeated citations is also possible.
However, like the program installed at the U. of Florida, the real problem lies in the fact that such programs appear to just "baby-sit rich kids". Enforcement of such policies seems to be the harder issue, as neighbors become increasingly frustrated with students who never seem to learn and with policies that don't seem to work.
Bill Williams, director of Campus Safety, expressed his opinion on the matter. "Generally speaking, loud party complaints occur during peak activity periods, [putting] loud party complaints lower in priority," he said. "[Also], there
are other reasons such as refusal of the
complainant to file charges, assurance by the party attendants to comply with the officers request to quiet down and sadly apathy by the officers who respond."
Mayorga expressed, "Yeah, I totally understand why neighbors are pissed," she said. "People can make excuses. Kids will be kids. Toddlers will be toddlers. College students will be college students. That doesn't make their mistakes okay, though."
In addition, despite the costly punishments, some students are eager to justify their behavior. At the Regis dialogue, a resident said, "One night, I was fed up, and made sure the student knew it was me as I signed a complaint. The next day, I got a beer bottle thrown through my window." Retaliation is another concern of many residents, who, despite numerous efforts to politely warn their student neighbors, have in some shape or form received a "leave me alone" type of response. "It's frustrating," said an individual at the dialogue. "We're just trying to make things better. But if this is what happens when we try to do something, what's the point?"
According to the Daily Nebraskan, "Red-tagging," a program concerning the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) serves to mark "party houses" with a neon-red sticker rather than fining their students. Students, however, dislike the program, saying, "This type of punishment is similar to wearing a scarlet letter or public mark of punishment." Joy Citta, Lincoln Police Capt., added to the students' concern, "Only a small percentage of the wild party houses are occupied by students". Omaid Sabih, president of the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska also said, "-the fact that students aren't responsible for a majority of the parties was a difficult point to get across to a upset neighborhood [of] residents." 334 wild parties were reported between early last October and this January, but only a small fraction of them were hosted by students.
Similarly, at the Regis-Berkeley Dialogue, a neighbor complained, "I know its Regis students when I see red cups. And they start cussing and breaking glass." Another man agreed, "It's embarrassing on behalf of Regis." Students at the dialogue tried to kindly remind the neighbors, however, "Not all of us are like that."
In most cases, many students feel unjustly stereotyped. UNL and Regis students both expressed to their neighbors that a lot of the problems the residents face, such as public urination, trash, and other frequent party problems are issues students object to as well. Sarah Morris, government liaison committee chairwoman at Lincoln-Nebraska said, "Good students are willing to get involved [and help]."
For some Regis students, the immediate blaming puts them on the defensive. Freshmen Sarah Bolger and Allison Wynn commented, "It's their responsibility. It's their choice for living in an area they know that has college students." Bolger continued, "I mean, I understand if students don't eventually claim responsibility for their actions. But, if it's just a once in a while thing, sometimes people just need to understand the differences in the way college students live."
In light of such issues facing university campuses nation wide, Regis could potentially learn and adapt a program that will hopefully bridge the people of Regis and those surrounding the area. At the Regis-Berkeley dialogue, a woman expressed, "Don't get us wrong. Regis has been a great part in the community. We just want these problems to get better," she said. "We want the students to know who we are, to understand that it's not only their lives, but ours too."
Being a good neighbor
Colorado State University (CSU), also facing similar problems, has found success in their Party Partners workshops, particularly in their Noise Violation workshop, which aims to "educate students on how to have responsible parties and to give ideas on how to improve relations with their neighbors." Student comments include, "I now know how I affect the community, and I will now start to respect my community," and "I will know how to approach officers and how to hold parties that will accommodate all aspects like neighbors and police officers."
Regis University offers similar suggestions in an educational pamphlet for students living off campus, which is available at the Residence Life office. Tips include: 1. Introducing yourself to your neighbors, 2. Letting neighbors know a few days in advance of planned parties, and when in session, keeping noise down, and 3. Being responsible for one's trash and yard. While the Regis Student Code of Conduct explains that "Regis University reserves every right to take necessary and appropriate action to protect the well-being of the campus community-including, but not limited to-off-campus events", the school has no formal jurisdiction over non-campus sponsored events.
With no distinct guidelines other than "not limited to," Regis students living off campus are free to make their own decisions about their neighborhood relationships. They do, of course have to abide by Denver Nuisance Abatement and Disturbing the Peace laws, but other than that, Regis Campus Safety leaves the investigations of off-campus student misconduct to the Denver Police and Adam's County Sheriff. After citations are investigated and ejudicated in the city and country court system, the Regis Judicial Board can begin review under the Student Code of Conduct, according to Bill Williams.
A different approach
According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, Honors English students of the University of Cincinnati, in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, took service learning to a different dimension. Similar to Regis' service learning program, students in the class sought to improve community relationships by showing that they care. This instead was the focus of the class rather than a supplement to the lesson at hand. Instructor Beverly J. Brannon expressed, "Spending a week in a low-income neighborhood has made students 'more open-minded'. A student also commented, the program "helped break down stereotypes". Overall, the course has gotten astounding positive feedback.
Likewise, College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts (a Jesuit college of 2800 students) decided to take Residence life services into the community. Through an off-campus committee created 8 years ago--comprised of students, neighbors, landlords, City Councilors, and College administrators--monthly meetings are held to address issues of mutual concern of neighbors and students.
According to Paul Irish, director of Student Conduct and Community Standards, Holy Cross S.A.D.E.R.s (Student Ambassadors Developing External Relations) offer community activities (such as Easter egg hunts for local children), encourage off-campus students to be good neighbors, and support the College Hill Civic Association (neigborhood association).
To ensure that the school can communicate with off-campus students, the Student Code of Conduct mandates that students provide and regularly update their local addresses. The registrar then enforces that provision. With accurate information, Holy Cross can invite off-campus students to participate in informational sessions, and distribute important information.
CSU, in addition to their Party Partners program, has also been working on a Restorative Justice program that hopes to prompt students into thinking and analyzing their consequences in order to help mend angry relationships in the community. Similarly at Regis, Katie Bruen, project coordinator for the Institute on the Common Good, has visited with representatives of the CSU program in hopes of developing a similar initiative at Regis. Both SPS graduate students in the Masters of Liberal Studies program and Regis College Communication students working on the new Conflict Analysis and Dialogue certificate could be trained as mediators if the CSU program is adapted here at Regis.
The December dialogue, along with student perceptions, has suggested the need for better cooperation and understanding among students and neighbors. However, with complaints rather than compliments on behalf of students and residents alike, there is also a collective desire for viable solutions that can be put into action. As Zabih of the University of Nebraska commented, "The conclusion is that we have to work together."