2008 Woodie Awards
Letter: Off-campus students feel unwelcomed by neighbors
Issue date: 2/14/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
To the editor:
(In response to Patrick Temple-West's article on housing in the 1/31/07 issue)
Not to say I told you so. But I told you so. Kind of. Finding myself in this place last year I was afraid that SJU was making us register off-campus residences in order to bust people for having parties. I guess now they, along with Philadelphia, are using the information to evict us. I don't know if there is a law that says they must collect this information like the law saying they must collect our vehicle information.
According to the SJU Handbook, Section 9-2804 of the Code of City of Philadelphia requires that all "students either provide the college or university with the model, make, and license number of any vehicles owned, operated or controlled by such student, and a copy of a current registration and valid insurance certificate for each such vehicle, or certify in writing that the student does not own, operate or control a vehicle."
Like Dr. McDevitt said in the housing article, the city cannot make laws that treat young people any differently than anyone else. It is discrimination and it makes me crazy. This year, Lower Merion made the streets behind Dake's/Starbucks two-hour and three-hour parking to accommodate the residents. Why do residents have more say over the public street than we do? (Furthermore, how does it even help them if they can't park for more than three hours anyway? It seems like an annoyance all around.)
I appreciate the work of the group trying to bring businesses like Starbucks to City Avenue (which Father Lannon is a part of), but in other ways the city treats us like second-class citizens, and SJU helps them to do so. It is as if we are not welcome in Philadelphia. The city treats us as if they can do to us whatever is best for them, and we will do nothing. Here's what we can do. First of all, I've been registering as a commuter since I moved out of Lancaster Court. I do commute; I just do it from my off-campus house. Second of all, write to Father Lannon, the Mayor of Lower Merion, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, the Philadelphia mayoral candidates and the local news outlets. Tell them we have the same rights as everyone else in this city.
Chris Tomkins '07
(In response to Patrick Temple-West's article on housing in the 1/31/07 issue)
Not to say I told you so. But I told you so. Kind of. Finding myself in this place last year I was afraid that SJU was making us register off-campus residences in order to bust people for having parties. I guess now they, along with Philadelphia, are using the information to evict us. I don't know if there is a law that says they must collect this information like the law saying they must collect our vehicle information.
According to the SJU Handbook, Section 9-2804 of the Code of City of Philadelphia requires that all "students either provide the college or university with the model, make, and license number of any vehicles owned, operated or controlled by such student, and a copy of a current registration and valid insurance certificate for each such vehicle, or certify in writing that the student does not own, operate or control a vehicle."
Like Dr. McDevitt said in the housing article, the city cannot make laws that treat young people any differently than anyone else. It is discrimination and it makes me crazy. This year, Lower Merion made the streets behind Dake's/Starbucks two-hour and three-hour parking to accommodate the residents. Why do residents have more say over the public street than we do? (Furthermore, how does it even help them if they can't park for more than three hours anyway? It seems like an annoyance all around.)
I appreciate the work of the group trying to bring businesses like Starbucks to City Avenue (which Father Lannon is a part of), but in other ways the city treats us like second-class citizens, and SJU helps them to do so. It is as if we are not welcome in Philadelphia. The city treats us as if they can do to us whatever is best for them, and we will do nothing. Here's what we can do. First of all, I've been registering as a commuter since I moved out of Lancaster Court. I do commute; I just do it from my off-campus house. Second of all, write to Father Lannon, the Mayor of Lower Merion, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, the Philadelphia mayoral candidates and the local news outlets. Tell them we have the same rights as everyone else in this city.
Chris Tomkins '07
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Uncle Greg
posted 3/02/07 @ 4:02 PM EST
Thanks, Chris, for speaking out about this. Can you get me Mayor Street's address?
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