If anybody cares, this is the email I shot off to the associate dean of student affairs for the local university. I've blanked out some personal identifiers. Sorry if it's long. I have not received a reply back, but you know I'll post it, lol.
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Ms. XXXX:
I have spoken with you in the past and recently discussed some issues with your administrative assistant the other day.
My husband and I have been enduring the antics of your off-campus residents on a daily basis, which effects the quality of our lives. I understand it is my choice to reside where I do, but being a lifelong resident of the city of XXXXX, I do not believe I have to remove myself from my domicile to placate the partying lifestyle of invading students to our street.
We live on xxx Strete between XXX and XXX Streets. Every night this semester has been a challenge for us to retain our sanity. Even at 4 in the morning, I am awoken by the inebriated screeches of your students. This is not tolerable. I have watched students throw garbage on city resident's property. The one time I was brave enough to confront the individual committing this act of laziness, he used profane language to express his thoughts in regard to his non-existant right to litter. I have watched students urinate in the street, apparently too lazy to walk into the house that just poured their beer.
Two nights ago, I heard three loud bangs, which I could not discern if they were gunshots or explosives. I don't have a problem with this on Independence Day, but I do when we live in a town where shootings are becoming more the norm. Do you mention this to their parents when they are dropping them off during orientation?
I also am extremely annoyed by the lack of foresight that prompted someone in your organization to turn the parking lot behind EXXX Hall into "greenspace". If you haven't noticed it before, look across the street at that large expanse of grass and trees. It's called the River Commons. It is a public area. I do not understand why it is not good enough for your students, especially when they have a free shuttle to transport them to KXXXX Park for any type of physical education and/or personal recreation. This alone doesn't bother me. What DOES bother me is that you used XXXXXX City police to shut down the northbound lane of traffic on XXXXX Street to accomodate parents dropping off their offspring (I hesitate to use the term children, as the majority of students are now 18 and responsible for their own actions). This would not have been necessary if the parking lot was not a dirt covered future greenspace. Is this going to be a common occurrence? Does this mean 4 times a year (fall sem move in, fall sem move out, spring sem move in, spring sem move out), our understaffed police department will be forced to play traffic cops, because someone decided greenspace was a better use for the area behind EXXX Hall? May I also remind you that the amount paid in lieu of taxes to the City of XXXX is a pittance, in relation to the area of land the university controls.
May I suggest that you bring up a few things when orientation with parents time comes again? Can you remind students that XXX City has a blue garbage bag ordinance? Can you remind students that there is a noise ordinance in effect? Can you let students know that not everyone within a hundred yards of XXX University is not necessarily a student, and some of us actually have to get up for jobs in the morning? How about having one of the community activist organizations, like the Circle K club going around on Saturday and Sunday mornings picking up garbage from the previous evenings festivities, so residents don't feel as though we live in a slum. Also, college is not a time to be taking on a new pet. More than once, sadly, I have seen students "dump" animals that they cannot take home, and now we have a feral cat problem. The same goes for dogs. I don't care if they have an animal, but please, clean up after it. I do not see any students with dogs clean up after them, and have had the displeasure of stepping in said messes on more than one occasion.
Recently, I noticed several news stories on the local television stations about city building inspectors going around to off campus student housing in the city, to make sure the premises are up to code and safe for the college kids. Guess what? They're 18 and not children anymore. If they don't know better than not to take out batteries out of fire alarms or hang off of weak balconies, then by all means, let me nominate them for a Darwin Award. I know common sense isn't scored in the SAT's, but it really offends me that our city personnel have to prioritize what is already a herculean effort to make sure ALL city renters have a safe place to live, not just college students. For what it's worth, I had to wait three years, (yes, three years), to have a problem with my apartment rectified. The problem was of a clear fire code violation and was not caused by my stupidity or lack of respect for property that is not my own. No, it had to wait because my landlord was too busy fixing things that were destroyed by last years batch of over-indulged college students.
In closing, I am providing a link to an article that is showing how one universitiy's students are tackling the student/townie respect issue. You should be able to click right on it.
http://www.sevendaysvt.com/nc/columns/local-matters-news/2006/students-ask-classmates-to-keep-it-down.html
Ms. XXXX, I appreciate your attention to these matters, and in the past, I know you held a proactive view of these problems. I look forward to seeing my city grow, but not at the expense of turning my quiet, tree-lined avenue into the new Bourbon Street of the North. It seems the offenses are always coming from the same residences, namely 78 XXXXX Street (the first floor, bunch of girls, always partying on their porch into the wee wee wee hours of the morning), as well as the large three floor apartment (68? XXXX Street ). They usually throw one to two keg parties per week.
I am declining to sign this email, as retaliation does not seem out of the question for some of these people. I'd just like you to know that not everyone sees your students as the perfect little angels their parents think they are, and they have driven better people than I out of this neighborhood.
Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
XXX Street Resident