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 The Newsstand is being sent to you as an introduction to the International Town & Gown Association. Members of the ITGA receive this twice-weekly publication and a monthly news letter highlighting college town news from around the world. Membership opportunities are available at www.town-gown.net. |
| Princeton Review Rankings
July, 2008
For those that missed it from July, 2008: Princeton Review's College Rankings for Town & Gown Quality:
The Princeton Review's 62 college rankings are "top 20" lists entirely based on the company's survey of students attending the 368 colleges in its book, Best 368 Colleges. For the ranking lists in the 2009 edition, published July 2008, The Princeton Review surveyed just over 120,000 students at the 368 schools in the book (not at all schools nationwide). On the 80-question survey, students were asked to rate their own schools on various topics and report on their campus experiences at them. Three of the 62 rankings pertain to town & gown relations:
I. "Great College Towns"
List is based on students' answers to the survey question: "How do you rate the city or town where your school is located?"
II. "Town-Gown Relations are Great"
III. "Town-Gown Relations are Strained"
Both lists are based on students' answers to the survey question: "How well do students at your college get along well with members of the local community?"
I. Great College Towns
1. Chicago, IL
2. New York, NY
3. Washington, DC
II. Town & Gown Relations are Great
1. Wheaton College & Wheaton, IL
2. Clemson University & Clemson, SC
3. Ripon College & Ripon, WI
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College Town Leadership
University of Vermont's Student Government Hosts Burlington Mayoral Candidate DebateBURLINGTON, VT - University Relations at the University of Vermont announced the first-ever Student Government Association-sponsored debate between four of the candidates running for mayor of the City of Burlington. Student safety, town-gown relations, student housing, economic development, and keeping students in the area after graduation were five of the hot topics at the forum. Candidates responded to 10 questions from a panel of students and employees as a crowd of about 100 students listened. Candidates talked about the university as a critical economic engine and invaluable educational and cultural resource for the city and the importance of creating jobs in the area so graduating students can continue to live here. Candidates described the relationship between the city and the university as very healthy, but one that needs improvement. One of the more hotly debated issues focused on student housing and a recent suggestion from a member of the planning commission that UVM house 75 percent of its students on campus.
San Marcos, Texas to Offer up to $5,000 to Professors to Live Within the City.SAN MARCOS, TX - The Austin American Statesman reports that The City of San Marcos is offering up to a $5,000 forgivable loan to Texas State University professors to locate in the City. This offer is an effort to get more professors to live in town, and university officials have agreed to promote the town to prospective faculty members.
San Marcos, with more than 52,000 residents, hopes to tap into the additional revenue from property and sales tax that professors and their families would bring. Mayor Susan Narvaiz added that having a highly educated population would attract research and development companies to town, which has been challenging. Getting professors to live in San Marcos would help the university, too, said Provost Perry Moore. It would be easier for professors to attend university events, they would have more contact with students and the community.
MVSU President Announces Town & Gown Initiative Moving AheadGREENWOOD, MS - Mississippi Valley State University President Dr. Donna H. Oliver announced on her President's Blog that a town & gown partnership with the Greenwood-Leflore Chamber of Commerce is progressing accomplishing educational and economic development goals. |
Parking and Transportation
Some Northwestern Commuter Students Travel up to Three Hours a Day to Get to Class EVANSTON, IL- Writers for The Daily Northwestern report that some Northwestern students begin their day at 6:30 to make a 10:00 am class. Reasons for living off-campus and where off-campus usually revolve around finances.
Not all commuter students' experiences are the same. "I think the closer a student is to campus, the more likely they would be willing to get involved," says Queen Ohiri, the president of Men Off Campus and Women Off Campus, an organization whose focus is to help integrate commuter students into the NU community. "The farther away a student, the earlier they leave to come to NU and to go back home, which means they'll have longer days and put less effort into spending time on campus."
UCSC Students Utilize Multiple Bus Systems to Commute to Class SANTA CRUZ, CA - City on a Hill Press writes that University of California-Santa Cruz students utilize campus shuttles and metro buses to commute to and from campus. UCSC's student ridership is up about 6 percent this year compared to last year, said Larry Pageler, director of Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS). According to October 2008 figures, more than three-quarters of the approximately 15,000 students on campus ride the buses on a daily basis. The Santa Cruz Metro Transit District (SCMTD), which is funded by the state and the university, does not expect any cuts, but it also remains unable to expand service. |
Economy and Budget
Virginia Tech Budget Cuts Highlighted at Town Hall Meeting BLACKSBURG, VA - WDBJ7 Roanoke News writes that Virginia Tech's President announced a 21 percent reduction in state money next year. The university expects to see a $42 million dollar cut in state aid for next year.
"I'm already getting letters saying you can't eliminate that program or this program, but at the end of the day that is what we must do," says Steger. Administrators laid out possible cuts during this town hall meeting. Students can expect to see the elimination of some programs. They'll most likely see fewer class offerings and larger class sizes. |
| Alcohol & Enforcement in College Towns
Duke to Act on Off-campus DisturbancesDURHAM, NC - The Chronicle Online reported that Duke University Vice President of Student Affairs announced steps the University is taking to address disruptive behavior of students living off-campus. Responding to Durham, NC residents, the recommendations made included implementing Duke University Police Department patrolling of off-campus fraternity houses, adopting a zero-tolerance policy for off-campus fraternity parties, increasing efforts to educate students on proper behavior and building fraternity homes on Central Campus.
Additionally, the VP said Duke would attempt to address the problem by hosting off-campus housing receptions for students living off campus, easy online complaint forms for residents to report off-campus fraternity disturbances, educational tools for students regarding residential laws, door-to-door efforts to educate students and a housing fair in January for property managers and neighborhood associations.
Pitt Student Works to Right Celebratory Wrongs
PITTSBURGH, PA - The Daily Collegian writes that a Pittsburgh University student is trying smooth over the aftermath of the Superbowl riot by asking Pitt students to each donate at least $1 to help cover the costs repairing the damage created on Super Bowl night. According to the Pitt News, Marc Schutzbank and his friends want to raise $17,000, and they said they have made about $200 in the first week of the fundraiser.
Residents filled the streets of Philadelphia after the Phillies won the World Series. After the Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl win Feb. 1, nearly 10,000 people poured into the streets of Pittsburgh to celebrate. Many of those celebraters were university students in Oakland, where the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and
Duquesne University are all located. These student fans were not civil about their celebrating. Windows were broken, fans shook and stood on public buses, fires were set and a bus station was destroyed.
The students hope to improve town and gown relations by sending a statement that they are sorry to damaged businesses.
Dartmouth College Student Assembly to Examine and Evaluate Off-campus Alcohol Policies
HANOVER, NH - As reported in The Dartmouth News, the college's Student Assembly has passed legislation to "examine and evaluate" alcohol policies in the Town of Hanover and their effect on the College's Good Samaritan policy. The Good Sam policy allows an intoxicated student or that student's concerned friend to call Safety and Security and, with no questions asked and no disciplinary ramifications from the College. A concern of the students is when a student involved is unresponsive or has a blood alcohol content of above 0.30, he or she is transferred to an area hospital, rather than receiving treatment on-campus. Because Hanover Fire Department ambulances, which perform these transfers, are escorted by Hanover Police, these situations almost always result in arrest. The Assembly's legislation looks to investigate whether the possibility of arrest causes students to reconsider calling for help.
After the Good Samaritan policy was implemented, the number of students who called Safety and Security
for help increased from 28 between 2004 and 2005 to 97 between 2007 and 2008, according to the review.
Student Gives Opinion on Community Alcohol Policies
PHILADELPHIA, PA - An opinion in the The Hawk Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph's University gives a student's opinion of the school's policies on alcohol and actions by the Department of Public Safety to purposefully targeting student parties using campus resources. | |
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Clemson, SC
The International Town & Gown Association is a non-profit organization that brings together leaders from college and university campuses and communities. Member representatives include Mayors, Elected Officials, City Administrators, Police Chiefs, Planners, University/College Presidents, Business Officers, Student Affairs Officers, Campus Planners, Student Housing Staff, Off-campus student staff, Parking & Transportation Officials, Students, Neighborhood Officials, Private Housing Developers, and many others sharing a unified town-gown vision. The ITGA acts as a communication, education, consulting and training resource for decision makers of colleges and college communities in areas of shared resources, programs, planning and project opportunities while addressing existing and potential conflicts.
Sincerely,
Chip Boyles
Executive Director |
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