LAST TUESDAY, Student Council’s Safety and Wellness Committee kicked off its “Lighten’ Up” campaign, which aims to increase exterior lighting in off-Grounds housing areas frequented by students. Throughout this semester, Architecture students in PLAC 401 have created a database compiling foreclosure information in the Charlottesville community from June 2006 to September 2008. They subsequently used that information to make a presentation to the Piedmont Housing Alliance.
What do these two initiatives have in common? They both highlight student and faculty recognition of the role of the greater community in University life, and vice-versa. While the Student Council project seeks to promote student safety and the Architecture initiative provides a great hands-on learning experience for undergraduates, both also seem to implicitly recognize that what goes on in Charlottesville and Albemarle County can affect the University significantly. The administration would do well to follow in these footsteps and make improving the surrounding areas a priority in the future.
Naturally, it is not the University’s responsibility to take an active role in off-Grounds affairs. Something like examining traffic patterns on local roads or refurbishing an old park wouldn’t fall into our jurisdiction, but rather the city’s or county’s. From a financial standpoint, that probably suits us just fine. But it misses the point. When prospective students, journalists or other visitors make their first visit to the University, their initial impression will be of Charlottesville, not just Grounds.
Upgrading Central Grounds still takes precedence in terms of development, of course. Yet based on the recent deluge of construction in that area, it is clear such priority status is not at all lacking. Much of the Academical Village is getting a (very pricey) facelift, and the astounding South Lawn Project is the University’s most ambitious undertaking in a long while. Both ventures will enhance the aesthetic appeal of Grounds immensely.
What could be spent on community-wide improvements would be miniscule compared to these two endeavors. We could go the Liberty University route and brand the entire side of a mountain with colossal letters reading “UVA,” but that’s probably not necessary (though really cool). Rather, subtle moves like placing a nice “Welcome to Charlottesville” sign would be a classy touch. We also might consider investing in joint beautification efforts with the local governments. These could include things like cleaning up graffiti, or fixing up any dilapidated structures on public property. While much of this work is done through volunteer services such as Madison House, the University itself has more clout in dealing with local officials and more money to get the jobs done. Any of these things in and of themselves would be a minor change, but might just spur a bit more civic pride and encourage greater action on the part of students and residents alike to keep things looking nice.
This isn’t to say that the University ignores the greater Charlottesville community. The Office of Public Affairs, for example, describes itself as a “liaison between the University and the area community.” According to its Web site, its initiatives are “designed to increase public understanding of programs in classrooms, research labs, and other service activities.” Via e-mail, Ida Lee Wootten, Director of Community Relations for the University, wrote that “U.Va. has numerous ongoing efforts to help improve the area. To help improve the conditions and safety of properties where student renters live in city neighborhoods, U.Va. pays the salary and benefits of a city housing inspector position. Through this position, the appearance of scores of buildings have been dramatically improved.” Other efforts include commitments to improving water quality and stormwater management, conducting at least two clean-ups in city neighborhoods during each academic year, and starting an anti-litter campaign with some off-Grounds apartment complexes. These offices should be provided with substantial enough financial resources as to expand these worthy endeavors.
Perhaps the best way the University could help out the surrounding community is by promoting classes such as the Architecture one mentioned above. Certainly other departments have done work of their own in the community, but any effort to increase the number of students doing hands-on learning in the area would be a great benefit to all. The opportunities are seemingly endless; certain politics or economics courses could partner with government agencies, while Commerce classes might work with the private sector, for example. Small sections offering these types of experiences are available, but too few exist for most students to get involved.
While state budget cuts mean that we must be frugal, the Board of Visitors and University administration are constantly planning for the future. That future should include a greater emphasis on off-Grounds improvement projects. While the Lawn extension that is currently being built over JPA will certainly awe spectators, a relatively small amount of money could enhance the overall impression our community gives them. Since that too is a big part of prospective students’ college decisions, it might just be a change we can bank on.
Ross Lawrence is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. He can be reached at r.lawrence@cavalierdaily.
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