As both an MSU graduate student and a community liaison, Erin Carter is particularly excited about the new Off-Campus Housing Listing site, which MSU had up and running late last week.
The site provides MSU community members with MSU login information a chance to find places off campus, roommates, sublessees and other off-campus resources.
“We are realizing that we need to support the students regardless of where they live — providing access to resources and services that help them when they live off campus,” Carter said, adding that she would have loved a service such as this when she was looking for a place to live.
Carter said the site has been in the works since mid-fall 2011 and is especially useful because students trying to sign up for on-campus housing are being wait-listed. Although Campus Living Services pushes for on-campus housing, Carter said the MSU “Live On” campaign is not at odds with the site, and the university hopes to make the two housing initiatives more compatible in the future.
MSU on-campus housing offers about 17,000 to 18,000 living spaces and can’t manage MSU’s student population of about 47,000 students, Carter said.
Cathy Neuman, assistant director in the Department of Student Life, said the university offered a similar listing that was not online for nearly 25 years but no longer does so.
“The primary purpose (of the site) is to educate students about what’s out there and provide educational resources … so they can be successful in their communities and on and off campus,” Neuman said.
Students and faculty members alike can look from listings by property owners as well as listings from other students.
General management junior Russell Schafer said he would have liked to have the site available sooner, but still is excited about the opportunities it holds.
“Especially for the subleasing… as college (students, working during the summer) making minimum wage, you need the lowest rate you can get,” Schafer said, adding it will let students know about more than just the big name apartment complexes everyone knows about, such as Chandler Crossings.
Pat Enos, assistant vice president for student affairs and services, said as an educational institution, it makes sense that MSU would help educate the MSU community about their housing options, especially with the frequent questions they get about off-campus housing.
“It will serve students very well, as well as faculty and staff, and I think the property owners who participate will be well served (also),” Enos said.
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