The purpose of the Neighborhood Network is to address quality of life issues affecting students and local residents in the neighborhoods as it related to alcohol and other drugs (AOD) & citizenship.
The current initiatives of the Neighborhood Network include:
Think Locally Act Neighborly SUMMIT!
In past years, the Coalition distributed more than two thousand Think Locally – Act Neighborly educational door hangers each fall in neighborhoods near campus to educate WWU students about being “neighborly,” community norms and expectations regarding drinking and loud parties, and tips for keeping parties quiet, safe and legal.
This year, the Coalition hosted a “Think Locally, Act Neighborly” Summit on Saturday, November 5th from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM at The Firs Conference Center.
This summit was created out of conversations with students and staff from Bellingham Technical College, Western Washington University, and Whatcom Community College to explore student engagement with neighbors and community members in the Bellingham. Students from multiple campuses, law enforcement representatives, and neighborhood representatives participated in the day-long event.
By the end of the day, we had:
- Learned how to be a better neighbor and how we can better our neighborhood
- Explored law enforcement and student relations
- Defined how each campus group and the broader group (all campus groups) will work together
- Created action plans for community engagement for each group of students from each campus
Following the Think Locally, Act Neighborly Summit, a student representative from WWU, WCC, and BTC presented at the November Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Committee (MNAC) meeting about their experience at the Summit and asked MNAC representatives their feedback about student participation in the neighborhood associations. The students continue to meet monthly and are forming a group called “The Student Connection.” Stay tuned for more information.
Off-Campus WWU: A Student Road Map to Neighborhood Living Website 
This comprehensive and interactive website educates students about off-campus living to enhance their experience in Bellingham ‘s neighborhoods and reduce the problems sometimes associated with living independently for the first time – both for students and their neighbors. For more information and to view the site, visit Off Campus WWU.
This site was collaboratively designed by students, rental owners, police officers, neighborhood association leaders, and prevention professionals through the Campus Community Coalition. Currently, this website is maintained through WWU’s Prevention and Wellness Services.
To read Neighborhood Network meeting minutes, click here.