While this picture seems like an accurate description of a harmonious community (it is), there is more to the story.
The term "town and gown" is sometimes used to describe a place like Athens: a town where both permanent residents and college students live in the same community. It's intent, or rather it's effect, however, is to create two separate communities: the "townies" and the students. Besides being degrading and stereotypical, Coordinator of Off-Campus Living Stephan Oechsle says this distinction has implications that can destroy the picture-perfect harmony described above.
"It implies an adversarial relationship," said Oechsle. "I think that's a shame because it really is one symbiotic community."
For example, says Oechsle, the University depends on the local community's labor for its staff, and the students provide the community with an active and flexible population that brings a variety of backgrounds and interests to the community.
"It's not just a college out in the woods," he said.
According to Oechsle, Off-Campus Living, along with local law enforcement and the University, have been making strides toward developing a more "cooperative spirit" upon which making the term "town and gown" completely outdated depends. But Off Campus Living can only do so much - it's up to the residents and students to seize this opportunity and rid Athens of the perception that students and permanent residents are opposing forces.
"It takes people making an investment to get to know people on the other side," said Oechsle.
Oechsle says one effect of the perception the term "town and gown" creates "has been the way permanent residents' fears of student renters have manifested themselves."
For example, says Oechsle, the "effects of the legislative choices the city has made has been the creation of student ghettos." That is, pushing the student body into densely packed, almost exclusively student-rented housing and appartment complexes like Palmer St., Palmer Place, and Stewart St.
"Instead of that making them happy, it creates more problems," said Oechsle. "One of which is that they have less investment in their surroundings. All they ever see is other students."
The recent Palmer St. riots, for example, surely provided some evidence of such lack of investment on the part of the students; the fears of permanent residents that might have lain relatively dormant in recent years were realized that night.
It is important that Athens look at the big picture: the Palmer Fest riot as it is now being called was not merely the result of a random, drunken party that got out of hand: it was the result of years of decisions built on fearful assumptions that defined certain groups as problems. That is not to say that legislative decisions were based on unfounded fears: surely those fears were based on some foundation. However, it is the responsibility of both parties to rid the term "town and gown" from their vocabulary and their thinking; Athens can become that harmonious community if permanent residents and students alike do some independent research instead of relying on reputations.
How to do this?
1. Walk to a neighbor's house and say "Hello."
2. Attend Neighborhood Association Meetings and City Council Meetings. Getting involved and sharing opinions is an essential part of communication among neighbors. Attending such meetings expresses an interest in the opinions of others and a willingness to make communities more harmonious.
3. Know your rights and responsibilities as community members. Become a positive influence on your neighborhood, and those who share it with you.
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