Councils encourage student involvement
Neighborhood councils address safety and the restriction of alcohol sales.
Ashley Archibald
Issue date: 3/20/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Though USC students make up a large percentage of the stakeholders in the local neighborhood council district, their concerns are not often brought to the attention of community and city leaders.
Max Slavkin, Undergraduate Student Government vice president elect, was appointed to the Citizen's Advisory Committee to the Community Redevelopment Agency for the University Park area by USG president Sam Gordon.
Slavkin said though the neighborhood councils and committees are a powerful lobbying voice for the benefit of the community, students are not eager to get involved.
"Students don't really feel as connected to the community as a lot of these other people," Slavkin said. "I live off campus now in an apartment, and I'll probably move into another one next year ... the year after that, and then I'm gone. My neighbor could be a resident who's been here for the past 90 years, so of course she's going to have more to say."
The decisions made by these councils can strongly affect students who now live in the area since the council does work on neighborhood safety, the development of recreational activities for the area as well as the restriction of alcohol sales in local stores.
Although students are not heavily involved in the workings of the council, many resident USC staff members sit on the board to simultaneously support their community and represent the university.
Michael Urena, president of the North Area Neighborhood Development Council and Management Information Systems manager for the Marshall School of Business, said despite improvements in Town and Gown relations, there is still a somewhat adversarial relationship between students and other residents particularly when it comes to affordable housing.
"Students don't understand the impact that they have on the community," Urena said. "The average family of four in this area lives on $17,000 a year. ... Kids who can't afford $700 a month to share a room are still going to go live in these lower-income housing."
Max Slavkin, Undergraduate Student Government vice president elect, was appointed to the Citizen's Advisory Committee to the Community Redevelopment Agency for the University Park area by USG president Sam Gordon.
Slavkin said though the neighborhood councils and committees are a powerful lobbying voice for the benefit of the community, students are not eager to get involved.
"Students don't really feel as connected to the community as a lot of these other people," Slavkin said. "I live off campus now in an apartment, and I'll probably move into another one next year ... the year after that, and then I'm gone. My neighbor could be a resident who's been here for the past 90 years, so of course she's going to have more to say."
The decisions made by these councils can strongly affect students who now live in the area since the council does work on neighborhood safety, the development of recreational activities for the area as well as the restriction of alcohol sales in local stores.
Although students are not heavily involved in the workings of the council, many resident USC staff members sit on the board to simultaneously support their community and represent the university.
Michael Urena, president of the North Area Neighborhood Development Council and Management Information Systems manager for the Marshall School of Business, said despite improvements in Town and Gown relations, there is still a somewhat adversarial relationship between students and other residents particularly when it comes to affordable housing.
"Students don't understand the impact that they have on the community," Urena said. "The average family of four in this area lives on $17,000 a year. ... Kids who can't afford $700 a month to share a room are still going to go live in these lower-income housing."
Be the first to comment on this story