Rachelle Woodbury won't be confined to an office for her first few days on the job.

On Monday, Woodbury became the first community-student liaison, serving as a mediator for issues between the city and university.

The 23-year-old Lansing resident plans to be out meeting with students and community members to work toward bridging the rift that separates them.

"The first couple weeks and months will be a lot of talking to different people and just trying to understand what's going on in the community and understanding the different dynamics that are at work here," Woodbury said.

After the April 2-3, 2005, disturbances, MSU and city officials felt it was necessary to take additional measures to resolve tensions in the community.

Woodbury's position was created in a joint effort between the university and city to ease the strains and will be funded by the university. She will have offices both on campus in Student Services and in City Hall.

The most challenging part of the job will be getting people to come together to solve problems and talk, Woodbury said.

"If a community and university can work together, it can become such a vital and strong community," Woodbury said. "I have an interest in furthering that goal."

The position was established in an effort to find different ways to deal with issues that arise in the community, said Lee June, vice president for student affairs and services.

When the position was created, university and city officials met with neighborhood presidents and student groups to discuss what the job would entail and gain perspective on the value of the position.

"We were looking for someone intelligent who would know and understand complex situations, who could relate not only to students but to all groups, and who had good listening skills and could be attentive to what people were saying about a situation," said Pat Enos, assistant to the vice president of student affairs and services.

Woodbury was chosen partly because of her extensive involvement with university and community groups while attending Brigham Young University in Utah, where she was president of the Hebrew Club, a member of the women's swim team and a tutor for children in the community, Enos said.

Although she has only been in Lansing for a short time, her lack of familiarity with the area could be beneficial, said East Lansing Deputy City Manager Jean Golden.

"That's a real advantage because she doesn't come in with any preconceptions," Golden said. "Then sometimes you can see things that people who have been involved in it can't see."

Steve Japinga, chairman of the University Student Commission — which gives student input to city officials — said he's not sure if the position was necessary since student groups are already working with city and university officials to solve problems. He added, however, that it could help in finding solutions.

"It's a slow process, but I think it's working," the political science and pre-law junior said. "Maybe it will help out having a mediator. If she's focused just on that, then she'll do well on it."

A person in this position needs to maintain a neutral stance on issues in the community, said Ginny Haas, director of community relations for MSU.

"It's important the person can see both sides and articulate both sides without coming down on one side or the other," Haas said.

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon was clear about having the position so more time and attention could be given to tensions between the university and community, she said. Simon announced the creation of the position during meetings with the community in the summer.

"We think it will bring a lot of energy to the area," Haas said. "The relationship the university has with the city is strong, and it's getting better."

Holly Klaft can be reached at klafthol@msu.edu.