Purdue News
Purdue News
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June 6, 2001 Purdue, West Lafayette create community issues teamsWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue President Martin C. Jischke and West Lafayette Mayor Sonya Margerum have announced the formation of two standing committees that will work together to address common community issues. The creation of the new Purdue and West Lafayette Community Issues Teams is one of the specific recommendations made by an 18-member joint task force convened earlier this year to examine relations between the university and the city of West Lafayette. Purdue's team will be chaired by Thomas B. Robinson, vice president for student services, and West Lafayette's team will be chaired by Jan Mills, city council District 2 representative. Margerum joined Jischke today (Wednesday, 6/6) for a portion of his monthly radio broadcast on WBAA AM-920 to discuss results of the original committee's report and announce the new teams. "The work recently completed by the Community Issues Study Committee was an important first step in recognizing how relations between Purdue and West Lafayette impact the quality of life for the larger community and how we might make our relationship stronger," said Jischke. "Purdue is committed to being a strong member and a positive contributor to the community at large." The study committee met 10 times over a four-month period to look at the issues of housing, neighborhood life and communication. Its final report identified five keys to success in fostering mutually satisfying relationships between Purdue and the city of West Lafayette: • A sense of community evolves from the contributions of many, and everyone with a vested interest in the community shares the responsibility for its success. • Active neighborhood associations can be key contributors to an attractive and caring community. These associations must be encouraged and supported. • University students must be engaged in these neighborhoods. • Pride of ownership is critical to a well-maintained property. Pride by the tenant, the landlord and the neighborhood association must be developed and reinforced. • Technology must be used much more effectively for sharing timely information among city officials, university administrators and the community as a whole. Among the study committee's general recommendations: • Purdue should share information on enrollment management, plans for campus expansion and specific information of interest to special interest groups on a regular basis. West Lafayette needs to provide better information on meeting agendas, road construction, ordinances under consideration, parks and recreation programs, and other planned activities. • West Lafayette should continue and increase its management of zoning ordinances; maintenance of an effective building inspection system; regulation of building permits; enforcement of trash and noise ordinances; development of pocket parks; and in cooperation with the West Lafayette Community School Corporation, enhancement of neighborhood recreational space. The city should also take the lead in coordinating efforts of neighborhood associations and all residents and businesses comprising a neighborhood. • Both Purdue and West Lafayette should work to educate students on the responsibilities of community living. Students – via Purdue Student Government, student organizations, housing units or earning class credit for service learning experience – need to become more involved with the local community, and the community needs to foster neighborhood-student cooperation. The task force also called for the creation of an ongoing community-university committee to continue the dialogue and work toward mutually beneficial solutions to concerns and problems. "We are pleased to be able to continue this very fruitful discussion between Purdue and the West Lafayette community," said Margerum. "I'm confident that the spirit of cooperation forged by the original task force will carry through to the new standing committees." Members of Purdue's Community Issues Team will be Joseph L. Bennett, vice president for university relations; John Sautter, vice president for housing and food services; Linda Stump, Purdue chief of police; Carol Shelby, director of radiological and environmental management; Allison Klinge, an undergraduate student; John Pomery, associate professor of economics; and Ronald Thorpe, a graduate student. Members of West Lafayette's Community Issues Team will be Patti O'Callaghan, West Lafayette City Council District 3 representative; Dan Marvin, West Lafayette police chief; Josh Andrew, West Lafayette director of development; DeAnn Harding, New Chauncey Neighborhood Association; Monica Waters, Hills and Dales Neighborhood Association; Gale Kvam, West Lafayette Community School Board; and John Basham, a West Lafayette landlord. Sources: Martin C. Jischke, (765) 494-9708; mcjischke@purdue.edu Sonya Margerum, (765) 775-5100 Writer: Sharon A. Bowker, (765) 494-9723, sbowker@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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