Incoming freshmen who will live in University-contracted rooms at Stadium Park Apartments learned about their new living situation at orientation sessions, which run this summer from June 10 through August 4.
Concerned students and parents questioned University and Stadium Park representatives about student safety, commuting, community building and rental payments at the informational meetings.
The University’s Office of Student Life reserved the additional housing specifically for those students who could not be accommodated in the residence halls next fall due to record-breaking freshman enrollment.
Parents of future Stadium Park residents are fearful about students’ safety and overall off-campus living experiences during their first year of college.
“Anytime you live in a city, there are inherent risks,” said Allen Gidley, director of University Housing. “It is important for students to be careful and use good judgment.”
Students living in the area have several options when commuting to and from campus, including Lane Transit District services and a bike path that goes through Alton Baker Park before reaching the Autzen Stadium foot bridge.
“We just walked from the University to Stadium Park earlier today and it took us 38 minutes,” a father said at an informational meeting Saturday. The man was worried about the safety of students traveling along the heavily wooded path.
Michael Smith, the University’s Stadium Park complex director, assured him that the pathway is very well used by students during the day. However, he said it is still important for commuters to use common sense when traveling at night and to always walk in pairs or groups.
Smith said that parts of the pathway, which connects the University to Autzen Stadium, are not on University property and therefore are not patrolled by the Department of Public Safety.
“I’m concerned with the commute,” said future Stadium Park resident Saumya Kini. Because of her heavy academic schedule, Kini foresees having to stay late on campus to study.
Tina Burns, Stadium Park property manager, said ultimately the students are “responsible for their own security” when commuting to and from school. However, Sheryl Eyster , the associate director of student life, told parents that the University’s Assault Prevention Shuttle – a free service that operates from 6 p.m. to midnight during the week and 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends – is very accessible for those students traveling late at night.
“The Assault Prevention Shuttle is highly used by students – they love it,” Eyster said.
According to its website, “APS is a free shuttle service that provides university students, faculty and staff with an alternative to walking alone at night, relying on others to take them home or being stuck in a potentially dangerous situation.”
Parents were also concerned that students would not have the same freshman community bonding experience they would get by living in the residence halls.
Both Burns and Smith admitted that the students’ experience would be different, but expressed confidence that it would be positive. Currently 79 percent of University students live off campus, Eyster said.
“Because we are already set up for student housing, we do monthly activities for student residents already,” Burns said. Ninety eight percent of Stadium Park residents are University students.
Poolside barbecues and Saturday waffle bars are arranged for the residents, according to a University pamphlet. Burns said the University plans to hold some other events on-site for students.
Students at Stadium Park also have the option of purchasing a campus meal plan, though their option works more like a pre-paid credit card for occasional campus dining instead of having a balance that would expire each month.
“We did this because we believed that we would be saving the students money,” Eyster said. “The thinking was that most students at Stadium Park would have lost their breakfast meal, and then sometimes maybe a lunch or dinner meal” because the resident dining areas will not be as accessible to them.
Burns said that there were students who did not make it into one of the 400 rooms contracted by the University, but the apartment complex had additional availability to rent to students directly.
Smith said the University’s community assistants, who are equivalent to on-campus residence assistants, would be available and able to help students at the facility, not just those living in the University block.
Despite the University’s involvement in reserving space for student renters, Stadium Park is ultimately the residents’ landlords, and all rental payments must be made to them.
[email protected]