Student subletting moves to Web site

The World Wide Web site may help reduce students' concerns about subletting in light of recent attacks, but police say caution still crucial.

By JENNIFER NEJMAN
Collegian Staff Writer

Realty Bites.

Well, at least it does in the eyes of two recent University graduates whose new World Wide Web site, Realty Bites, is designed to eliminate the hassle students deal with when searching for a sublet, as well as provide students with a safe way to advertise.

The new service, created by Impact Technologies, Ltd., was launched yesterday and can be found at http://www.collegefriends.com. Designed to make subletting less painful for college students, it reduces the amount of time and money students spend on hanging up fliers, said Brett Cohen, director of marketing for Impact Technologies.

"For every student in the nation, it's free," Cohen said.

Jeffrey Tannenbaum, director of operations for Impact Technologies, and Cohen began their Web site in September, focusing on their RideNET service. The service allows University students to communicate with students at other colleges and universities in order to find rides. Cohen and Tannenbaum both graduated from the University in December.

"The basis of our business is to consistently create new services for students," Tannenbaum said.

But the business, he said, has an added feature that may make this service marketable in the State College area -- a security feature that allows students to post their names and phone numbers and permits only local Internet users and students in the Commonwealth College with a University E-mail account to use the service.

A new user can sign up for an account and the service immediately E-mails that person an account number, Tannenbaum said.

"Once you get your (personal identification) number, you go back to the site and log in with the PIN number, and you have full access," he said. "The security feature is that you can rest assured that the only people who will see your service are students and professors."

This safety feature may be of some interest to University students due to some recent assaults that have occurred in student's apartments. The State College Police Department is looking for a man suspected of sexually assaulting two women in separate incidents, the first occurring May 1, the latter occurring Nov. 23. Each victim allowed the man to enter her apartment because she thought he was searching for a sublet for his girlfriend. The police also suspect him of involvement in three other incidents.

Sgt. Dana Leonard of State College police said he thought the new system is a step in the right direction, but added that it is not foolproof. The suspect may be a University student, Leonard said.

He stressed the importance of remembering that the suspect may not use the same method again, and students should keep in mind that simply because he posed as a subletter before, does not mean he will do so again.

Some students were skeptical of the new service gaining widespread popularity.

"I suppose any effort to curtail the violence that's going on is a good effort," said Lee Selkowitz (senior-human development and family studies). "We, as students at Penn State, don't take advantage of many things that are offered to us."

Kelly Dvorchak (junior-nutrition) said she would consider looking at the new service. However, although it may be useful for some people, others may not feel the need for extra safety measures.

"A lot of guys aren't going to be afraid to be sexually assaulted," Dvorchak said. "They think if it's another guy they would just beat him up."