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Did you know that if you live off campus, you’re a commuter student? That’s right, whether you live an hour away from your campus or live across the street, you’re a commuter.  

������ is vested in ensuring students have reliable housing resources and avoid unsafe living conditions off-campus. Numerous university and student organizations across campus make commuting and housing a top priority.  

The Office of the Dean of Students is one of the university organizations taking on a number of safety-related responsibilities, including reducing problems off-campus such as high-risk alcohol parties, overdoses, theft and violence. Todd Kamenash, interim dean of students, highlights the success in limiting these issues, with fewer outside community members causing problems.

"We still have people going out and having a good time, but the rate of high-risk issues is far down,” Kamenash told ������ Today. “In performing that role, I began to recognize that some of the places that students are living are not great.”

One of the issues contributing to students settling for lower-quality housing is the lack of access to off-campus housing information. Upon identifying this problem, Kamenash began creating a list of appropriate local apartment complexes currently accepting applications, which is shared with the CARES Center and the City of Kent and updated monthly on the University Housing website.

Canvassing is another effort aimed at discovering and reducing housing problems and informing students of the resources available to them. The Office of the Dean of Students is working with local police and the health department, and administrators in these areas will knock door-to-door and provide a simple pamphlet of information about what to do if housing conditions worsen.

“We would focus on the streets that had the highest-risk party issues,” Kamenash said. “Walking up to all those houses, it’s pretty quick to see that some of them are pretty dilapidated.”

Through the combined efforts of the Office of the Dean of Students, student organizations, the CARES Center and city partnerships, the university addresses safety concerns and promotes better housing options. These collaborations help remove housing obstacles by valuing the safety of our students.

Recently, the Center for Student Involvement organized the 2024 Housing Fair where representatives from student groups, city officials and apartment complexes provided students with information about housing options, details and protocols.  

The Commuter and Off-Campus Student Organization is a student group looking to engage commuters in events tailored toward them. Rebecca LaGuardia, a senior biology major and the Undergraduate Student Government senator for commuter affairs, represented the organization at the Housing Fair and said she is encouraged students to apply for next semester.

“A lot of commuters don’t want to go to events, and that’s okay,” LaGuardia said. “It’s about asking if we do things for that population.”

These ongoing university initiatives ensure all students feel supported and empowered in their off-campus experiences.

“We look at the aspects of the commuter life that need to be improved and this is a great way to bring back student support,” LaGuardia said. “There’s not really anyone representing commuters, so we are a voice for them.”

Learn more about the Center for Student Involvement.

Learn more about the Office of the Dean of Students.