Being a Good Neighbor
"Civic responsibility emanates from a sense of shared ownership and responsibility on the part of all residents built upon basic levels of mutual respect, availability and response of services, engagement in civic dialogue, and attitudes of cooperation."

In order to be a responsible community member, consider the following:

Know Your Neighbors
Your neighbors may be students, but they may also be families with children or a senior citizen. They may go to work early each morning or have children who go to school. Be respectful of their sleeping times. No one says you have to be best of friends, but it is a good idea to know you neighbors' names and phone number incase of an emergency, or so they can call you as opposed to the police if they have a concern.

Know how to party
No one says you can't host a party and have a good time, but when you do it is a good idea to think of your neighbors, because if the party gets out of hand, they may call the police. For more information, visiti Student Legal Services in the lower level of the Student Center, Room L-17.

Loud Music
All of us have those songs or shows that we love to have the volume up loud on, but if the neighbors can hear it, it might be too loud. A good test is if you can hear it at your property line, it is probably too loud. To avoid a visit by the police and a possible ticket, check the noise level outside periodically during the party.

Keep the Trash Picked Up
You may not have every afternoon to keep your stuff spotless, but everyone can at least keep the yard picked up, kept up, and looking neat and clean. The City of Muncie has a code ordinance to address how the trash must be maintained and the level of cleanliness of your yard.

Where You Park Your Car
No one likes to live next to a junkyard or a parking lot. While you may have more cars than spaces, you can't just use the yard as extended parking. For more information on parking options in Muncie, click the Muncie City Hall link.

The Alternative...
You do of course have to choice to not be a good neighbor, but if you do you run the risk of having conflict between you and your neighbors, a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and possible problems with the city officials (i.e. police and code enforcement).

SOLVING PROBLEMS

While living off-campus you may find yourself in a situation you may not know how to handle. Please consult the Tenants Handbook or the Legal Guide for Students for additional information regarding:

• Leasing and Renting
• Questions to Consider
• Finding the Right Place
• Roomates
• Moving In & Out
• Subleasing
• Security Deposits

Be sure to visit Student Legal Services located in the Pittinger Student Center, Lower Level; Room L-17 or  call 765-285-1888 for an appointment.