Perhaps most importantly, students deserve a place at the table. The Master Plan discussion is inherently about student issues. When questions like whether students will be allowed to live in single-family houses off campus come up, students should be there to give their input. For this reason BC should look to scheduling some sort of forum that could include both neighbors and students at a location convenient to both.
BC is a rising intellectual university, which brings with it a call for growth. Furthermore, as it is located on the outskirts of a major city, noise and expansion should not be strange to surrounding residents. The students of BC enrich this area greatly and also help to keep many local businesses afloat. They offer babysitting, tutoring, and yardwork services to neighbors. Of course, this does not excuse their behavior on the weekends. The fact is, however, that this area is - and will continue to be - populated by students and neighbors alike. If they are ever to learn to coexist, they must talk out the problems that are present now and recognize how proposed solutions will affect their relationship.
Noise is an unavoidable side effect of both a college and a city, but it is a factor the Master Plan is aiming to contain. Instead of having administrators endlessly butt heads with neighbors for the actions of their students, bringing students to the meetings could help explain the behavior and disruption that takes place on the weekends. Both sides have opinions to bring to the table, but without direct contact, sparks will continue to fly. As an alternative to yet another task force meeting far from campus, perhaps it is time to sit down and have a sober discussion between all concerned parties.
2008 Woodie Awards
