New course aims at improving town-gown relations

1:23 p.m., Dec. 18, 2003--For the first time this spring, students who plan to live off campus can get involved in the Student Neighbor Program—designed to increase communication and improve relationships among Newark residents and students—and enroll in a new course. Univ. 267 consists of three one-credit courses, offered the next three semesters. All students living in Student Neighbor Program-designated houses must be willing and eligible to participate in the program.

Three Newark landlords want to work with students involved in the Student Neighbor Program, and 30 students have expressed an interest in taking the course and participating in the program, Tracy Bachman, Building Responsibility Coalition (BRC) project coordinator in the Center for Counseling and Student Development, said. Students who take the course spring semester will be eligible to move to the designated houses with one-year leases beginning June 1, 2004.

“Our goal for the Student Neighbor Program is to get students and residents to communicate about neighborhood norms and to encourage both sides to re-evaluate the stereotypes they have of one another,” Bachman, who will teach the course, said.

There is room for 10-15 students to participate in the program and the course, Bachman said. Besides working with residents, students in the course will encourage other students who live off campus to be more considerate of their neighbors.

The purpose of the program, Bachman said, is to involve students in “good neighboring” practices by participating in ordinary pleasantries, disseminating useful information, assisting with issues affecting residents and developing creative solutions to problems in the neighborhood.

The Student Neighbor Program was developed by students in geography professor April Veness’ fall 2003 service learning class on Newark, along with members of the BRC Community Outreach Task Group and local landlords.

For more information, e-mail Bachman at [ttbach@udel.edu].

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