New Resident Engagement Program

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Starting this fall semester UVU will be implementing an REC (Resident Engagement Coordinator) program that will help students get help with any problems they’re having right where they live. As a solution to the need of on-campus housing, the REC program will create a partnership between UVU and nearby apartment complexes.

RECs will be a cross between resident assistants and mentors for the students living within their area. It will be their responsibility to help students find their way around campus, to organize an occasional social activity, promote campus activities, and get to know each student in the REC’s area. All in all, being an REC is estimated to take about 10 to 20 hours a week. UVU will pay the cost of your housing and utilities.

A good number of students here at UVU — perhaps all of them — have suffered from bad management, overpriced apartments, and that unidentifiable liquid leaking from the ceiling that goes unfixed despite endless maintenance requests. Because of this, the REC program will also work to combat students’ concerns about the quality of apartments and their management. Eventually, UVU hopes to enter agreements with participating apartments in order to provide some quality assurance for students. The goal is that when a student signs a contract with an apartment participating in the REC program, that student can rest assured that the apartment complex will be professional, clean, and attentive to their needs.

Unlike our cougar friends down the road, there will be no stricture or stipulation placed on a student for participating in this program. Students will, of course, have to adhere to the rules set by apartment management, but the school will not be supplying superfluous moral guidance in the form of additional demands.

Parkway Crossing will be the complex most heavily involved in the REC program. Grant Flygare, director of student development, said, “Hopefully, these students will not only be RECs, but also will become community ambassadors.” He continued by suggesting that RECs would ideally strive toward integrating and involving UVU with the community.

UVU is looking for 24 RECs, who can be either single or married students. Potential candidates must have completed at least one year of college and be full-time students. Applicants should have at least one year’s experience of independent living, and a 2.5 GPA is required. Applicants must be able to attend a mandatory meeting on Tuesday nights from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Applications are available in LC102b until Aug. 1.