October 2012
Welcome!
We're so happy to welcome
you back to UVM and
Burlington! We know there is
much to navigate living
off-campus and the
Office of
Student & Community
Relations (OSCR)
created this newsletter to
provide information, helpful
tips, and to let you know
about upcoming
opportunities. Feel free to
contact us with ideas for
future Off-Campus Life
editions!
OSCR
(656-9405)
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Have
you Joined Your
Neighborhood
Front Porch Forum?
Dozens of your neighbors
are connected to each
other online via a local
invention called Front
Porch Forum. Join the
conversation today by
SIGNING UP at Front Porch
Forum and POSTING a
message or two. 
"As a college
student and renter, I
often don't have the
normal tools for doing
things around the
house. Front Porch
Forum has been a great
help at finding
neighbors willing to
lend out a shovel in the
wintertime, a hammer
& nails, or even
some flour. I
definitely feel more at
home here in Burlington
as a student thanks to
Front Porch Forum." Matt, UVM
student.
FPF hosts 130
neighborhood forums
covering all of Chittenden
County. More than 16,000
households subscribe,
including 40% of the City
of Burlington and 1,000+
UVMers! Check it out today
at http://www.frontporchforum.com
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Need
a Job? OSCR
is Hiring!!
Looking
for a fun work-study
job that would be
great for a resume?
OSCR is looking for a
Communication, Media,
and Design Specialist
to join our staff. For
more info and to set
up an interview
contact OSCR or
call 656-9405. 
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Like it? Lock
it!
UVM students are prime
targets for property theft
because of unlocked doors
and windows.
Here are some
simple steps that can
help prevent you from
becoming another victim
of theft:
- Lock your doors (day
or night), even when you
are home or if you leave
for just a few minutes.
- Make sure your
windows and screens are
secure.
- Use lighting inside
and out so your house or
apartment appears
occupied.
- Close your curtains
so your possessions
won’t be easily visible.
- Keep your purse,
wallet, electronics and
other valuables out of
sight.
- Lock your car.
- Take your stuff out
of your car or keep them
out of sight. CD’s money
in the ashtray, tools,
bags, small electronics
even car seats can be
very tempting.
- Get to know your
neighbors so you are
familiar with who is
supposed to be in the
area. Let a trusted
person know when you
will be away so unusual
activity is noticed.
Call the
Burlington
Police Department if
something happens
(658-2700). You may not get
your stuff back; however,
the police can track
patterns and figure out who
is responsible. You can
also call the
Parallel
Justice Program for
victims of crime to see what
kind of resources and
support they can provide to
you (540-2394).
Registering
your possessions on
the UVM Police Services
website and purchasing
Personal
Property Insurance or
Renter's Insurance ahead of
time can also help cover
losses due to theft.
Crime
Prevention is
Everyone's
Responsibility.
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Concerned About
the Safety &
Condition of Your
Rental Property? Here
are Some Tips from VT
Tenants!
Excerpt
from:
What To Do About
Major Code
Violations
(For Burlington
Tenants) A TENANT
Information Sheet
PRODUCED BY VERMONT
TENANTS/CVOEO
Under both Vermont State
law and Burlington law,
tenants have the right to
safe and decent housing.
If you have problems in
your rented housing that
present real health or
safety threats, then those
problems violate Vermont's
Warranty of Habitability
law and Burlington's
minimum housing codes. If
there are such problems
with your rental unit,
here are some steps you
can take.
First and always (If at
all possible), talk with
your landlord about the
problem. Explain what
needs to be fixed. If the
landlord does not take
action to fix the problem
in a timely manner, then:
--- Contact Burlington
Code Enforcement
(863-0442) or fill out an
online Minimum
Housing Complaint Form.
An inspector can order
the landlord to make the
needed repairs. Also, if
an inspector finds serious
code violations in your
rental unit, then the
inspector's order will
serve as your proof that
real problems exist and it
is your insurance against
a retaliatory eviction.
Retaliation against a
tenant for making a
legitimate complaint to an
inspector is illegal.
To read the full tenant
action sheet click here.
---
For more info on your
rights as a tenant
contact:Vermont
Tenants at 864-0099.
(Note that Vermont Tenants
office will be unavailable
October 9 please contact
VT Legal Aid at
800-889-2047 until then.)
Vermont Tenants, is
located at:
294 North Winooski Avenue,
Burlington, Vermont;
05401(802) 864-0099 or
1-800-287-7971
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Ever wonder what the
deal is with
bikes
and stop signs? What
about crosswalks – who
gets to go and when?
And what’s the best
thing you can do to not
get hit by a car at
night?
Get answers to these
questions and many more
online at www.safestreetsVT.org,
a project of Local
Motion, UVM, and other
partners. You’ll find
the rules of the road in
plain English, along
with some resources for
staying safe as you
walk, bike, or drive
between home and campus.
If you need a new bike
helmet, a reflective
vest, some bike lights,
or any other safety
gear, Local Motion
canhelp!
Click here
to download a $6 coupon
that is good at any of
the outdoor shops in
town. Being visible is
one of the most
important things you can
do to make sure you
don’t become a
statistic.
The bottom line is,
safety is a two-way
street. If you’re on
foot and want cars to
let you cross, do your
part and make sure
you’re visible. If
you’re on a bike and
want cars to give you
space, try following the
same rules as cars. And
if you’re driving and
want pedestrians to wait
for the signal, play
nice and don’t run the
red light. Give respect
to get respect: www.safestreetsvt.org.
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