A video posted to the Student Rights and Community Standards off-campus living Web site strives to make students think critically when looking for off-campus housing.
Despite noble intentions, the video missed a few points such as safety and lease signing pointers that would have greatly benefitted students. The video's effectiveness was also hindered because the production quality was extremely poor. It was difficult to understand what the actors were saying because of the poor sound quality. Although, it is important to note that the video was produced by two graduate assistants working without any financial assistance.
One of the most important elements of off-campus living omitted from the video relates to safety. Consider the neighborhood you'll live in before putting that pen to paper.
Evaluate the distance between the future residence and campus to determine if it's a safe path to walk or if you'll need to drive. If you do need to drive, make sure you get a parking pass.
Future videos could be improved if they included safety concerns that would affect students.
Another variable to consider before signing a lease is your landlord. Who is he? How can he be held accountable for poor management? Don't fall victim to a slum lord. Try to find previous lessees and see what kind of an experience they had.
Landlords and lease procedures are two other elements that the video ignores that students would benefit from.
With all of the information left out of the video, it is logical to wonder if the video is a giant ploy to discourage students from moving off campus.
The tone of the video alternates between somewhat corny and serious to a ridiculous clip of a student running from a sound clip of a dog.
If the Student Rights and Community Standards officials truly wanted to educate students on what to look for when living off campus, they could have used authentic student accounts. The students featured in the video seemed too well-rehearsed to be real.
Also, the information could have just been presented in a completely different manner.
Having off-campus students post blogs similar to those posted for prospective students could be a valuable resource. Those who live off campus can, at any given time, elaborate on the benefits and disadvantages of moving out of the residence halls.
Although a somewhat well-intentioned educational tool for students, the video posted to the Web site falls short of being useful and the production value makes it seem somewhat absurd.
Better luck next time.
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