“Off-campus housing” refers to a variety of privately-owned housing options, including apartments, houses, rooms in private homes, co-operatives, privately-owned residence halls, boarding/rooming houses, and Greek life houses. Located in various neighborhoods near campus, off-campus housing options tend to be easily accessible to campus buildings, grocery stores, shopping centers, and campus activities via walking, biking, and campus/City of Madison bus routes.

Many students and families are feeling the pressure to secure off-campus housing for the 2025-2026. The Parent and Family program asked Erin Warner, Assistant Director of Off-Campus Housing Services, to share how her office encourages families to support their Badgers through the off-campus housing process.

Off-Campus Housing Services within University Housing provides resources and offers follow-up support to help students make informed housing decisions. Their services include educational programs, building relationships with landlords, and meeting individually to answer student questions. The office also has several resources available online, including a recently updated Rental Resource guide and postings for housing, parking, roommates, and sublets at campusareahousing.wisc.edu.

Beyond these resources, here are a few potential topics to discuss with your student as you support their off-campus housing search:

• Budget – Suggest creating a monthly budget that includes rent, security deposit, utilities, renters’ insurance, and secondary expenses like parking, pet fees, and furnishings/household goods. Also, because your student may be used to relying on University Dining, consider discussing their plans for dining and food options. Students should work with the Office of Student Financial Aid to better understand how their specific financial aid may be applied to off-campus housing.
• Needs vs. Wants – Your student will likely also benefit from developing a list of needs for their off-campus living situation. What are their priorities? Where are they willing to be more flexible? Common items to consider are budget, location, roommates, security, privacy, and amenities.
• Roommates – Encourage your students to meet potential roommates in a safe way and discuss living expectations before signing a lease. Students often feel uncomfortable asking potential roommates tough questions arounds topics like budget, work-life balance, cleanliness, social behaviors, and sleep habits. However, you can help coach them through seeing the value of these important conversations, especially before signing a (typically year-long) lease.
• Touring Rental Properties – Whenever possible, students should tour a property before signing a lease. This is an excellent time for them to gather information on price, security deposit, lease terms, and amenities. While you may not be able to join them, families can work with their students to prepare a list of questions ahead of time.
• Lease – According to Off-Campus Housing Services, if there is one thing families should support their students with during this process, it is reading and understanding the lease. Not only is the lease a legally binding financial obligation, but it may also be a student’s first step toward establishing rental and credit history. Therefore, it is critical they understand their rights and obligations, as well the landlord’s. If you have questions or are unclear on the terms of a lease, consider contacting the Tenant Resource Center.
• Cosigners – Since many students don’t have rental or credit history, it is common for landlords to require a cosigner on the lease. If you plan to cosign for your Badger, be sure you understand the associated responsibilities. This article by the Tenant Resource Center provides excellent tips and advice on cosigning.

For questions on these topics and more, students and families can contact UW–Madison’s Off-Campus Housing Services at off-campus@housing.wisc.edu. Also, rewatch our recent Badger Family Forum, “Helping Your Student Find a Home Away from Home” for insights from Erin and staff from University Housing, the Tenant Resource Center, and LZ Management.

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Finally, remember the Parent and Family Program is always a resource to you, no matter the topic or point in your student’s journey.

We’re back! This is always such an exciting time for our students with so many new adventures, budding friendships, and promise for the year ahead. I hope you, too, have found time in between the busyness to appreciate another milestone for you and your family.

I love my job as vice chancellor for student affairs, and a big part of that is being able to see your students get involved outside the classroom — as part of student organizations, clubs, cultural or learning communities, civic opportunities, and more. Even if your student is a seasoned Badger, there is always a new adventure to be discovered. UW–Madison’s Student Organization Fair is Sept. 10 and 11—encourage your student to make the trek to the Kohl Center to explore the hundreds of organizations available to them.

We want your student to flourish, both academically and personally, and they are learning how to establish healthy habits during their time here. Membership to two world-class recreational facilities on campus, the lakeshore Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center and the southeast Nicholas Recreation Center (“The Nick”), is included in student fees. University Health Services also offers a range of medical and mental health support to meet your students where and when they need may need it.

We invite diversity of viewpoints to UW–Madison to inspire and ignite us to think critically and act thoughtfully. We also promote a community where all people can experience a sense of belonging. Sometimes those two can seem at odds, and that is part of the learning process. We want students to explore ideas beyond their own and to leave here with strategies to do so in civil and productive ways. That is part of the great Wisconsin Experience.

Bottom line — we have teams of people in Student Affairs, including the Parent and Family Program, who are here for your student and for you. As some of you may recall, my daughter graduated from UW–Madison in May, so our family is also beginning another transition as she starts her next adventure. I miss seeing her on campus, yet I am grateful every day for the opportunity to support you and our students as we continue to coach them through life’s journeys.

I look forward to seeing many of you at Family Weekend in October.

On, Wisconsin!

Lori Reesor

PhD Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

In case you missed it, you can also watch a recording of our Graduating Badger Family Forum where we share ceremony information, career tips, and how students can stay connected to UW after graduation.

Top 5 Things to Know:

1. The ceremony for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Law Degree candidates will take place on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at noon at Camp Randall Stadium. Guests, family members and friends are welcome to attend! There is no ticketing for attendance and seating is general admission, first come, first served.
2. Gates open at 10:00 a.m. and the ceremony typically lasts approximately two hours. A livestream of the ceremony will be available on YouTube.
3. If you or your graduate need accommodations, please email accessibility@chancellor.wisc.edu. Additional information is also available on the Camp Randall accessibility page.
4. The graduate entrance is located at Gate 5 (the student gate for football games) of Camp Randall Stadium. Graduate seating is arranged by school, college and degree type. No guests, including children (except children of nursing parents) are permitted in the candidate seating area. Please review the carry-in policy as well as the metal detector procedures to plan accordingly. Flowers are allowed inside Camp Randall, however glass containers, balloons, backpacks, and wrapped gifts are not allowed.
5. Complimentary parking is available in several campus parking lots on commencement weekend. Please visit the commencement parking page for more information.

Graduate To-Dos:

1. Capture the moment: Students can have their photo taken at some of the most iconic locations on campus, from Alumni Park to the Camp Randall Arch to Bascom Hill. Formal portrait sessions are also available – encourage your student schedule their photo session.
2. Reserve your cap and gown: To participate in the ceremony, all graduates must wear academic regalia and should order their cap and gown today through the University Book Store.
3. Find your seat: Check out the graduate seating map to find where your student will be seated during the ceremony. Seating is first come, first served. For accessibility accommodations, please email
   accessibility@chancellor.wisc.edu to make arrangements for a celebratory experience.
4. Update your home address: Diplomas will be mailed out to graduates six to eight weeks after grades are entered. To ensure that diplomas are mailed to the correct address, students should update their home address in MyUW.
5. Get ready to celebrate: Join fellow graduates in celebration! Check to see when the celebration event for your student’s school, college, department, or program will be hosted.

You can view a complete graduate checklist on the commencement website.

Meet the Spring Commencement Speaker:

Meghan Duggan, Olympian and Badger legend, will deliver the keynote address during the Spring 2024 Commencement at Camp Randall. Read the announcement.

A Look Back, Senior Prom:

Four years after the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the UW–Madison Senior Class Office announced the 2024 Senior Prom to give back to seniors what the pandemic had taken away. More than 1,000 showed up. “This prom was more significant than any high school prom could have been for us; it felt like a true celebration of class togetherness and putting the negative effects of the pandemic behind us,” writes senior MK Denton, who photographed the event.

Questions?

The Parent and Family Program is here to help! You can also visit the commencement website for more details and sign-up for ceremony updates.