The last six months in Evanston have had a lot of ceremony.
In May, the Evanston City Council took a night to swear in five new aldermen as well as new Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl.On Friday, Northwestern took an afternoon to inaugurate new President Morton O. Schapiro.
We’ve seen enough moving ceremonies to draw a tear from even the most hardened cynic.
But now all that’s over. It’s time to get to work.
One of the most important things Mayor Tisdahl or President Schapiro will do during their time in office is finally improve the infamously weak relationship between the Evanston and NU.
Both of our fearless new leaders have said all the right things, promising to take steps their predecessors were unable or unwilling to commit to.
“We’re going to be a model for town-gown relations in this country,” Tisdahl told the The Daily last week. “It’s time for a new beginning.”
Schapiro has been equally positive, promising to be part of an ongoing dialogue and to help Tisdahl with whatever she needs.
I’m glad both of them are being so positive. But Morty, Liz – talk is cheap. Action is everything.
President Schapiro made a great decision earlier this month when he opened up the purse and gave the city more than half a million dollars from NU to purchase a new fire engine.
Considering how taxing students’ late-night popcorn escapades can be on the Evanston Fire Department, this was very appropriate.
This can’t be a one time thing. Too often in the past, NU has only been willing to pay for a Band-Aid when the city needed surgery.
For instance, the school bought the building on 1800 Sherman Ave. that now houses Northwestern University Information Technology and the History Department a few years ago. This purchase took the building off the city tax roles, and NU was more than happy to pay $350,000 a year to replace the lost tax money – for three years. Temporary plugs like this are not enough to help an already hurting city budget.
The Daily also reported last week NU may provide Evanston with a lobbyist in Springfield to work on behalf of Evanston at the Illinois state government. This is another positive step, and it clearly shows the most practical reason for both sides to continue working toward a better relationship.
Officials at Schapiro’s old school, Williams College, have said the school has great relations with Williamstown, where the school is located. But that town of less than 10,000 offers a disparate set of issues from Evanston, with more than 70,000 residents.So I guess that leave us with two options: continue old habits and argue pointlessly, or embark on a new path and really make a change.
Honestly, I’m hopeful. I heard Mayor Tisdahl during her campaign last year, and I really believe she meant what she said about moving forward. I’ve followed President Schapiro’s optimism since he’s been on campus, I’ve seen him integrate himself into the community, and I think he honestly wants to move Northwestern in a new direction.
But all the words, all the promises and all the hope of this student editor can’t do anything.That takes action. Let’s see it.
City Editor Ben Geier is a Medill junior. He can be reached at [email protected].
