Off Campus Student Services
a. General Description
Off Campus Student Services (OCSS) coordinates services, presentations,
and programs designed to connect off campus students to the university and help make
students’ off campus living experience positive. OCSS serves over 35,000 students,
faculty, staff, and parents by being a clearinghouse of information regarding housing
options and helping students become informed consumers. OCSS staff also helps students
find roommates and assist them with any problems related to roommate conflicts,
maintenance and repairs, or other basic rights and responsibilities as tenants. The OCSS
staff publishes the Off Campus Living Survival Manual, designed to
assist students with their off campus living experience.
In addition to coordinating programs and services, OCSS staff serve as
advisors to the Off Campus Aggies (OCA), a volunteer student organization consisting of
fifteen executive committee members and approximately three hundred (300) members. With
the guidance of OCSS staff, OCA plans, implements, and staffs programs, banquets, socials,
and community service projects to connect students who live off campus with campus
activities.
b. Target Audience
Primary Target Audience:
- Current students who live off campus
- Prospective students and their families
- On-campus students who are planning to move off-campus
- Off Campus Aggies
Secondary Target Audience:
- Campus housing communities and property managers
- Staff and faculty at Texas A&M University
c. Delivery of Programs
- Housing Information Presentations- presentations tailored to different audiences but
each including information on looking for housing, the lease contract, responsibilities of
tenants, roommates relations, budgeting, and move-out procedures.
- Residence Hall Presentations- requested by Resident Advisors and Hall Directors
- Corps Housing Seminars- requested by instructors of Military Science 409 classes for
senior non-contract Corps of Cadet members.
- New Student Conferences- scheduled by Student Life Orientation office and marketed
through materials sent to all new students.
- College Planning Fair- OCSS Coordinator sits on committee to plan fair. Marketing is
done through Office of the President to staff members with children going to college.
- Roommate Relations Presentations- presentations include role-play and discussion on
issues arising from living with roommates. The presentations focus to make students aware
of the importance of early effective communication and respect for differences.
- Orientation Programs – presentations to students at Fish Camp (extended orientation
program for freshmen), Howdy Camp (extended orientation program for students enrolling in
Spring semester), T-Camp (extended orientation program for transfer students),
International Student Orientation, and Graduate School of Business Student Orientation.
- A&M Consolidated High School- presentation to Life Experience Class at local high
school.
- Lease Contract Presentations- presentations on responsibilities associated with signing
and executing a housing rental lease contract. The presentations focus on establishing
effective relationship with property managers, documentation of move-in and move-out and
important times during leasing period.
- Lease Contract and Roommate Advice- students can call-in or meet with staff to discuss
questions concerning their lease and roommate problems
- Roommate/Available Housing Referral System- students who need a roommate(s), who need to
find a place to live with a roommate, or who want to sublease rental property may list
their need with OCSS via web page, the RentsLine phone search system or hard copy in the
OCSS office.
- OCSS Publications: available in office or online.
- Off Campus Living Survival Manual (listing of amenities, contact information and
location for over 130 area rental properties)
- Passport to Living Off Campus
- Leaving for the Holidays
- Roommate Contract
- Texas Apartment Association Annotation of Lease
- OCSS Service Brochure
- You are Your Roommate’s Roommate
- How to Get Your Deposit Back
- Common Roommate Problem
- Move-in/out Inventory
- The ‘How To’ for Repairs
- Resident’s Intent to Vacate Notice
d. Marketing of Programs
- Battalion Ads
- Bulletin Boards
- Office Flyers
- Off Campus Living Survival Manual
- Off Campus Aggies meetings
- Apartment Association meetings
- Presentations to various groups
- Referrals from Student Legal Services
- Brochures
- Web site
- Promotional Items (pens, cups, etc…)
- Banners
- Public Service Announcements
- Marketing Package to rental property owners
e. Collaborative Efforts
Intradepartmental Collaboration:
- Student Legal Services
- Student Mediation Services
- Student Life Orientation
- Adult and Graduate Student Services
University Collaboration:
- Department of Residence Life
- Corps of Cadets
- College Planning Fair Committee
- International Student Services
- Lowry Mays College of Business
Community Collaboration:
- Bryan/College Station Apartment Association
f. Evaluation and
Assessment
- Off Campus Housing Fair – evaluation forms are completed by registered booth
participants. Results are utilized to improve the program for the next year.
- OCSS presentations at New Student Conferences – a sample of attendees to the off
campus student program completed evaluations of the program. The results were compiled by
Measurements and Research Services and utilized by the New Student Orientation Committee
to plan for future New Student Conferences.
- Fish Camp Presentations – program evaluations were completed by attendees at the
presentation and communicated to the OCSS.
g. Resources
Personnel
- Coordinator- Identify off campus student needs and housing trends in the Bryan/College
Station area and provide vision and planning for OCSS. Supervise the Graduate Assistant
and Clerk III and manage financial budgets for service area and marketing plan. Advise Off
Campus Aggies student organization.
- Graduate Assistant- responsible for editing Off Campus Living Survival Manual,
educational materials, and updating website. Assist in the planning of Housing Fair.
- Clerk III- respond to questions about OCSS. Maintain records of office expenditures,
housing prices and availability, and employee data. Schedule meetings. Supervise office
student assistants. Provide clerical support to Coordinator and Graduate Assistant.
- Student Assistants - answer phones, sort mail, type memos, letters and documents, assist
students seeking information on off campus housing, and assist clerk III.
h. Primary Obstacles
- Computers and printers used in the OCSS listing room are "hand me downs" from
other parts of the department. Some of the computers lack the hardware to adequately use
web-based resources. This issue will become more pronounced as the OCSS continues to move
toward the use of a web-based database search system for roommate, sublease and general
housing information.
- A more effective and useful resident evaluation tool is needed to provide prospective
renters with information about the condition of rental properties and relations with
rental property managers.
- Relationships with area rental property owners and managers varies greatly. There is a
need to continue to develop these relationships and provide communication about the
programs and services of OCSS.
|
