Won't you be my neighbor?
The Jambar EDITORIAL BOARD
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Opinion
The Youngstown State University Board of Trustees announced the passing of a resolution yesterday effectively making the future sitting president of YSU not only a figurative resident of the university, but also a literal resident of campus.
The passed resolution outlines plans to convert the empty Wick-Pollock Inn located on Wick Avenue into a residence for the next president of YSU. Keep in mind that the last president to live within the campus boundaries was Howard Jones, whose likeness still resides on campus in statue form outside of Tod Hall.
Since Jones, past presidents of the university were given a housing allowance to help with purchasing a home in the Youngstown area.
YSU has already allocated $4.4 million of a $47 million bond to cover the cost of renovating the former Inn for use as a campus building and that renovation will now include the construction of a living space for the new president within Wick-Pollock.
It is important for the new president to build an open relationship with the student body, and with the campus essentially lying in their front yard, it may become commonplace to greet the president with a wave as you walk to class and they walk out to retrieve the morning newspaper (The Jambar).
During the French Revolution, the people stormed the royal palace at Versailles and forced King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette to relocate - as political prisoners - to Paris, where the people could keep an eye on them. Did the board of trustees have a similar motive in relocating the presidential quarters?
Hopefully, YSU won't require revolution to ensure that our next president creates the kind of campus environment the "people" are asking for.
The passed resolution outlines plans to convert the empty Wick-Pollock Inn located on Wick Avenue into a residence for the next president of YSU. Keep in mind that the last president to live within the campus boundaries was Howard Jones, whose likeness still resides on campus in statue form outside of Tod Hall.
Since Jones, past presidents of the university were given a housing allowance to help with purchasing a home in the Youngstown area.
YSU has already allocated $4.4 million of a $47 million bond to cover the cost of renovating the former Inn for use as a campus building and that renovation will now include the construction of a living space for the new president within Wick-Pollock.
It is important for the new president to build an open relationship with the student body, and with the campus essentially lying in their front yard, it may become commonplace to greet the president with a wave as you walk to class and they walk out to retrieve the morning newspaper (The Jambar).
During the French Revolution, the people stormed the royal palace at Versailles and forced King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette to relocate - as political prisoners - to Paris, where the people could keep an eye on them. Did the board of trustees have a similar motive in relocating the presidential quarters?
Hopefully, YSU won't require revolution to ensure that our next president creates the kind of campus environment the "people" are asking for.
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