The scripts are available for printing and for sound bite identification.
Go to http://www.wichita.edu/newsline to get the current 麻豆传媒 Newsline. If you cannot access the Newsline at the Web address above, contact Joe Kleinsasser at (316) 978-3013 or cell (316) 204-8266 or joe.kleinsasser@wichita.edu. Newsline cuts may be edited to suit your needs.
If you have additional questions for Steve Larson after listening to the 麻豆传媒 Newsline, please contact him at (316) 978-6612 or steve.larson@wichita.edu.
Background:
Going to college marks a major transition for new students. For many students, it鈥檚 the first time they鈥檙e away from home. It also may be the first time they鈥檙e sharing a room with a stranger. Steve Larson, director of housing and residence life at 麻豆传媒, says gathering some basic information can result in a success rate of 80 to 90 percent in matching students as roommates.
Voice wrap:
Announcer: College freshmen face a number of challenges when starting school. But one of the most important is getting along with a roommate. Steve Larson, director of housing and residence life at 麻豆传媒, explains what helps many new students find a successful match.
Larson: 鈥淵eah, it鈥檚 nice when roommates, when they meet somebody on campus, whether it鈥檚 through a tour, through its orientation, through a specialty program, honors program, something like that when they can meet somebody, and then we鈥檒l match them up. And we鈥檒l easily accommodate that. We want them to pick their roommate if they can.鈥�
Announcer: Although Larson expects most roommates to succeed about 80 to 90 percent of the time, sometimes roommates just don鈥檛 get along. However, many college roommates become good friends for a long time. This is Joe Kleinsasser at 麻豆传媒. This is Joe Kleinsasser at 麻豆传媒.
Sound bite #1
Larson says it鈥檚 not unusual to have a high success rate of matching students as roommates. The sound bite is 20 seconds and the outcue is 鈥渕ake good changes.鈥�
Larson: 鈥淲hen we try to match people, we know that we鈥檙e going to get about 80 to 90 percent success rate just from basic questions. And I think a lot of it is going in with the right attitude of these students knowing they鈥檙e going to have a roommate, knowing it鈥檚 going to be new, knowing it鈥檚 going to be some transition. And we鈥檙e happy with that success rate and sometimes it doesn鈥檛 work, and when it doesn鈥檛 work, we want to make good changes.鈥�
Sound bite #2
Larson says there鈥檚 a higher level of success when he gets prospective roommates talking and communicating. The sound bite is 21 seconds and the outcue is 鈥渉igher level of success.鈥�
Larson: 鈥淲hen we鈥檙e matching roommates, we really want to be sure that they鈥檙e talking and communicating. And part of that is through open-ended questions. Part of it is not the yes or no stuff. Tell me something you like to do. Tell me about some of your personal interests. Get them talking and that鈥檚 the way we get success. Once you get them talking and communicating, we know we鈥檙e going to have a higher level of success.鈥�
Sound bite #3
Larson says there are times when roommates just don鈥檛 get along. The sound bite is 16 seconds and the outcue is 鈥渏ust not going to work.鈥�
Larson: 鈥淲e like to look at it as the honeymoon stage. Sometimes these roommates are not going to work and within two to three, maybe four weeks we know if it鈥檚 not going to work. Then we want to sit down and have a conversation with them and get them out of there. But sometimes it just doesn鈥檛 work. No matter what questions you ask, it鈥檚 just not going to work.鈥�
Sound bite #4
Larson says that helping students find a good roommate is a huge piece of their transition into college. The sound bite is 18 seconds and the outcue is 鈥渋nto college.鈥�
Larson: 鈥淲ell, with roommates we find out that sometimes it鈥檚 not a good fit. And when it鈥檚 not a good fit, you know, sometimes it鈥檚 a personality conflict. Sometimes it鈥檚 interests, and it just doesn鈥檛 work. From a housing department, we want to sit down with them at that point and make sure they鈥檙e going to have a good match because it鈥檚 a huge piece of their transition into college.鈥�
Sound bite #5
Larson says it鈥檚 tough for roommates to get along sometimes. The sound bite is 24 seconds and the outcue is 鈥渨orking with our staff.鈥�
Larson: 鈥淲ell, most students, before they come here, they have their own room, they have their own bathroom, and then all of a sudden now they come to college. They鈥檙e in a residence hall room. They鈥檙e sharing space with someone who鈥檚 an arm鈥檚 length away from them, and they鈥檙e sharing personal belongings. They鈥檙e sharing a bathroom. It鈥檚 tough for them sometimes. I think we understand that it鈥檚 tough for them and we want them to acclimate themselves by having open-ended questions and working with our staff.鈥�
Sound bite #6
Larson says roommates often become good friends. The sound bite is 23 seconds and the outcue is 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 neat.鈥�
Larson: 鈥淚 will say that most of the time your first roommate is somebody who will actually, you鈥檒l know for a long time and become good friends (with). I remember back in college who my roommate was. I think it鈥檚 tough because you go into it not realizing what this relationship is going to be, but once you live with somebody and you go through those personal, you know, sharing bathrooms and sharing personal space, you get this connection with them, and it鈥檚 neat.鈥�