Editor’s Note: On Aug. 26, columnist Kim Randall confirmed she had fabricated a quotation attributed to a student in a Sept. 24 column, “Read, reread leases before signing them.”

The Northern Star strives for accuracy and treats fabrication as a serious offense. The columnist no longer works with the Northern Star effective Tuesday.

The Northern Star staff will investigate if any other work by the columnist was fabricated. If more instances of fabrication are found, further notices will be published in the Northern Star and placed online.

The Editorial Board has decided it will not remove the column that contains the fabricated quotation from NorthernStar.info because it wishes to recognize this mistake. Instead, the board will post a notice at the top of the column informing readers of the fabrication.

The newspaper’s Editorial Board will continue to host staff meetings to further discuss what measures it takes to prevent fabrication and if those measures need to be changed.

The staff sincerely apologizes and thanks its readers for their understanding as this matter is investigated. Please direct questions and comments to Editor in Chief Kelly Bauer at [email protected].

Deciding to rent an apartment while in college is a major leap into adulthood.

Rent, bills, groceries and conflict resolution are just a few of the many things you now have to worry about. That’s a lot to deal with without adding issues with the apartment itself to the list of worries. When you rent an apartment, you are looking at a number of things: size, pet policy, price of rent, location and appearances.

It is best to look beyond the basics and mere cosmetics. Renting an apartment is so much more than just picking one out, moving in and paying rent. Don’t forget about that little contract you and your roommate signed. You should read your lease carefully and thoroughly until you are sure of what you are getting yourself into.

Say you move into a place and bring your dog. One day your landlord discovers this and issues you a hefty fine, and if you don’t pay it then you will be kicked out. Little did you know that in the lease was a clause that specifically prohibited owning pets. This could have been avoided had you carefully gone over the lease, although situations are not always as black and white as this.

On the other hand, if you find yourself in a situation where you feel renters are taking advantage of you with lease issues, there are resources on campus that can help you. Students’ Legal Assistance in the Campus Life Building is designed to “provide consultation, advocacy and court representation services, as appropriate, to students in a wide variety of cases…,” like landlord or tenant issues.

The office provides a free consultation to students who feel they need assistance. Don’t ever feel alone. There is help.

“Last year me and my roommate had a lot of issues with our landlord in our old apartment,” said Erin Phalen, senior physical therapy major. “This year we made sure that everything was said up front and put in writing so that we won’t have a terrible time again.” (Editor’s Note: This quotation was found to have been fabricated by the columnist after the publication of this column. Please see the Editor’s Note at the top of this page for more information.)

Now, I don’t mean to make anyone stray away from apartment renting, but just make sure you are well protected.

Before you sign your lease, read it thoroughly. Have it reviewed. Get everything in writing. Take a moment to weigh your options. Know your rights so that you don’t get screwed over.

The decision to get an apartment can cause major headaches and confusion if you are not careful in your selection. It’s wise to make sure you’re fully aware of and knowledgeable of both your lease and your rights before you sign your name on that line.