More than 50 off-campus Northwestern students, long-term Evanston residents and University staff gathered to discuss town-gown issues at a meeting Tuesday that resident Todd Leasia described as the “best meeting we’ve had” in several years.
Dean of Students Burgwell Howard organized the Community Conversation and invited both students and residents to attend. University officials started these conversations a few years ago to create a dialogue between the university, students and long-term residents, Assistant Dean of Students Betsi Burns said. Students and residents discussed issues such as the “three unrelated rule,” which states no more than three unrelated people may live in the same housing unit, as well as complaints about noise and off-campus parties. Evanston residents also suggested making alcohol available on campus following the success of Saturday’s seniors’ tailgate, which was hosted by NU and allowed alcohol.
During the meeting, Evanston resident Barbara Janes voiced her concerns about the lack of respect students have for their neighbors.
“Students seem to have a sense of entitlement that they can do whatever they want to do wherever they want to do it,” Janes said. “One night they were going by our house and I just happened to be by the window and I said, ‘It’s midnight, you need to be quiet.’ The response was ‘Shut up, you ho.'”
Burns said the goal is to make NU students understand they are part of the Evanston community. Howard echoed Burns’ sentiments at the start of the meeting by saying he hopes these conversations will be ongoing.
Later in the meeting, Evanston resident Jane Evans raised the issue of students not being aware of the “three unrelated rule,” citing a recent flyer she received from a group of six students asking to rent a six-bedroom house from her and offering to cook her dinner.
Burns said she had received an e-mail from Jeff Murphy, assistant director of property standards, saying he will not ask how many students are living in the apartment when dealing with complaints. Communication senior Barry McCardel said it is important for the City of Evanston to reach out to students because some may not report problems, such as insufficient heating, due to concerns about violating the occupancy rule.
“One night they were going by our house and I just happened to be by the window and I said, ‘It’s midnight, you need to be quiet.’ The response was ‘Shut up, you ho.’“
-Barbara Janes, Evanston resident
Toward the end of the meeting, Evans also said she hoped university officials would provide alcohol on campus to alleviate problems associated with off-campus parties.
“Thank God you had a tailgate where alcohol was allowed, and please, please, please keep trying to make ways for you to be able to have alcohol at some of your events, i.e. Dillo Day, I beg you, please,” Evans said.
Some residents murmured “amen” in response, and Howard said University officials are looking into allowing alcohol on campus as long as students behave responsibly, as the seniors who organized the tailgate did.
After the meeting, students and residents who attended said it was a productive conversation.
“I was impressed with how much Betsi and Burgie and Jim (Neumeister, assistant dean of students) were being cheerleaders for the students and championing our interests while at the same time hearing what the neighbors were saying,” said Weinberg senior Elizabeth Broder, who lives off-campus. “There was a lot less finger-pointing than I imagined would occur.”
Evanston resident and Weinberg professor Daniel Garrison said those who attended the meeting were working to understand each other.
“There’s a considerable spirit of mutual accommodation going on among the neighborhood’s residents and the university, and I’m really glad to see that,” Garrison said.
