On Tuesday February 11, Office Manager of Residential Life Ashley Weaver presented to students approved to live off-campus during the 2014-2015 academic year about how to maintain favorable neighborly and landlord relations. The mandatory meeting is a final step in confirming a student’s off-campus housing.

Each year, Residential Facilities holds such a meeting to prepare students for living off campus the following year; the department held a similar meeting last semester for those students who are

currently abroad.

“Something new this year…is that our Dean of the College asked that our fraternities and sororities that live next to residential buildings – Theta Chi, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Delta Upsilon – attend this meeting as well. House officials of the other fraternities and sororities will be attending next week,” Weaver said.

Town of Hamilton Mayor Margaret Miller, representatives from the Village Police and Campus Safety officers joined the conversation to provide various perspectives and advice to students.

After welcoming the students as new residents of the village, Mayor Miller reminded the group that they will soon be responsible for paying for their utilities, taking out the garbage and filing for

sound ordinances.

“We want people to have a positive experience [in the village]. We want people to come back and live here,” Miller said.

Representatives from the Hamilton Police then spoke about the importance of locking one’s car, cleaning up lawns, limiting the number of people at gatherings, walking on sidewalks and familiarizing oneself with parking regulations.

Weaver reiterated some of the parking regulations, emphasizing that owners of registered downtown vehicles will receive a yellow decal enabling them to park in specified parts of campus during certain hours, such as on Lally Lane, in the Cutten Complex parking lot and the first-year parking lot.

Director of Campus Safety Bill Ferguson provided an example of an appropriate student-landlord relationship, stressing that landlords have the responsibility to ensure that fire alarms are functioning properly. He encouraged students to check that such detectors are working prior to moving in as well as to remember to lock their bedrooms and doors.

Weaver further discussed some of these landlord responsibilities, which include but are not limited to installing carbon dioxide detectors, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.

In terms of the relationship between the Village Police and Campus Safety, Ferguson explains that Campus Safety will extend assistance to students who live downtown and are locked out of their car or need their cars jump started.

“Nightly, the [Hamilton Police Department] gives reports of any activity that happens in the village….to Campus Safety. Not only can students get in trouble with state laws…but they will also have to go to a conduct hearing and have points [on their Colgate record]. There is repercussions of both sides; the communication is fluid,” Weaver said.

In capping off the meeting, Mayor Miller highlighted some of the perks of living in the Village of Hamilton. She encouraged students to attend the farmers market on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. as well as attend the First Baptist Church’s yard sale during the first weekend in August.