By Amanda Waite Article published October 4, 2006
Gail Shampnois, director of student and community relations, studies a palette of paint chips while standing in the foyer of her soon-to-be new office at 12 Colchester Avenue. The hundreds of colors and subtle differences from one shade to the next seem overwhelming to Shampnois and colleague Alicia Turner, coordinator of off-campus services, who are preparing the space for a winter move-in.
For a moment, they turn their conversation from what color will look best to what color will inspire the feelings they hope their space will evoke for community members and students living off campus; the words “inviting,” “welcoming” and “warm” are the first they both mention.
Their mission in the new Office of Student and Community Relations is to help off-campus students navigate the transition from living in residence halls to living in the community and to foster positive interactions between off-campus students and their neighbors.
Moving into the new office, the first floor in the oldest wooden structure in Burlington and former home to the Fletcher Allen daycare, will be a big advantage for the pair who currently work from the third floor of the University Communications building at 86 South Williams.
The importance of place
“All of us feel like space is so important,” says Shampnois, who explains that she wants off-campus students and community members to see her office as a “storefront” to the resources they need. “We want people to think, ‘I can walk in a door and get help with my problem,’” she explains, citing the potential frustration of figuring out the right phone number to call and then being connected with the right person.
Originating from a Student Government Association resolution which led to a commitment from the Provost’s office, the new space will offer a link to university resources for off-campus students, providing them with the tools they need to become civically minded members of the community aware of both their rights and responsibilities.
It’s an extension of the work Shampnois and Turner have already done through programs like “Have a Heart,” a campaign to help reduce walk-by noise in the neighborhoods; the publication and distribution of the “Off-Campus Living Survival Guide,” a quick reference on being a community member in Burlington; and the Community Coalition and Student-Neighbor Liaison Program.
Creating a visible resource
“When I was a student and had issues—like roommate and landlord conflicts—I didn’t have a place where I felt like I could go for help,” says Turner, a 2005 UVM alum. “The new office is going to be a space where off-campus students can come and get answers to their questions about the issues they face,” she explains.
Scott McCarty, UVM student and co-chair of the Community Coalition, an SGA initiative that forges connections between UVM students and the community, agrees with Turner. “It will be a visible resource for students, a place where Gail and Alicia can help address the issues students have,” he notes, adding that the building is located on a highly traveled walkway for students.
North Willard Street resident and fellow member of the Community Council Jeff Kaufman also sees the office’s new space as an asset. “Better access for those who use the department can only help,” said Kaufman, who has been active this year in changing the environment and behavior on the street.
The other benefit of the new space, says Shampnois, who is excited to focus just on student-neighbor relations and community development after a 14-year career of liaison work between the university and the city, is the variety of programming the size of the new space will enable.
She envisions cooking workshops, art shows, and storytelling as just some of the activities students and community members can participate in together. “If I listen hard enough,” Shampnois says as she closes her eyes, “I can hear the sound of little kids and students reading to them.”
