Town/gown board to focus on off-campus student issues

A Town Gown Advisory Board is being formed to examine the needs of off-campus students and improve community relations, the University Council learned at its first meeting of the 2017-18 academic year.

“We are going to focus on student issues off campus,” Randall Edouard, assistant vice president for student affairs, told the council on Sept. 22. “How can we help? How can we impact change? We want the community to discuss transportation and housing. We want to promote and cultivate positive community engagement.

“We have brought together the best and the brightest minds to talk about these (issues),” he said.

The advisory board will consist of more than 30 members from areas ranging from economic development, community organizations and police to fraternity/sorority life, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and the Professional Staff Senate.

Edouard, who began in the campus/community-based position on June 1, emphasized that the board will include 11-12 students, including representatives from the Student Association and Graduate Student Organization. Subcommittees will examine issues such as safety, dangerous drinking and student housing, he said.

Edouard, who previously served as director of the Educational Opportunity Program and director of admissions and enrollment, said he was initially excited to take on a new challenge.

“After my excitement came down a little bit, I asked myself: How do I do this?” he said.

He determined that it was critical to research how other institutions handle their community relationships. So he sought guidance from Beth Bagwell, executive director of the International Town Gown Association in Clemson, S.C. Edouard said he spent 20 minutes talking about the Clemson-South Carolina college football rivalry with Bagwell.

“She then gave me recommendations of what universities I should visit,” he said. “She gave me an ‘in’ with all of the associate vice presidents who handle town/gown relationships.”

Edouard’s team visited Cornell, Notre Dame, Penn State, the University of Vermont and plans to soon visit the University of Maryland.

“We learned that successful town/gown efforts do not happen overnight,” he said. “They take time, commitment and a willingness to give and take.”

Town/gown leaders from other universities also stressed the importance of relationships and collaborations.

“I happen to love building relationships,” Edouard said. “I love collaborating. I said: OK, we’re on the right track.”

Edouard also learned that communication, such as keeping the campus informed of the advisory board’s work and showing how students are making a difference off campus, is equally vital.

“We want to tell the stories of the students from our campus who are helping young kids in the community,” he said.

Edouard told the University Council that it can expect innovation, strategic planning and quality improvement from the advisory board and the University’s town/gown effort.

“(Other schools) have the same problems and issues that we have,” he said. “We are not unique. … We want our students to be safe. We are on it.”