Author: Sam Byrne
Whenever an individual moves into a new neighborhood, it is his or her responsibility to understand both the advantages and disadvantages of living in the residential community before buying or renting a home. Residents who choose to move into Eagle Rock must learn about Occidental’s atmosphere in order to fully gauge whether or not they are prepared to live in a college town. Just as it is customary for the new homeowners to educate themselves regarding the neighborhood’s crime rate, nearby schools and local elected officials, prospective Eagle Rock residents also need to research the college’s policies. Prior to moving into Eagle Rock, residents must assume the downfalls of living in a college community that prohibits most forms of alcohol consumption and socializing on campus.
Eagle Rock is a college town; Occidental was established before the residential area, and therefore residents of the town should expect that students will inevitably lead lifestyles that are different from their own. It is unfair for the locals to express outrage about students drinking and walking around Eagle Rock on weekends when they should have known long before moving that many upperclassmen rent houses in the area.
The most salient example this year are the complaints from a resident on Avenue 47, who has recently expressed concerns about students coming in and out of Jungle House, a student-rented home that has typically housed male athletes over the past years. Jungle House has acquired the reputation of a party-house, which has frustrated Rick Taylor, a neighbor who has warned the college of his plans to present the issue to city council.
“I am here to cut down the jungle,” Taylor threatened in a letter to current Jungle House residents, after complaining to Dean Avery that too many students flood Avenue 47 on weekends in search of social gatherings. While this may in fact irritate Taylor, promises of dismantling a home are not particularly neighborly. Past Jungle House residents have felt threatened by Taylor’s behavior and confrontational nature, leaving little opportunity for reconciliation. The residents of Jungle House, and of houses throughout the neighborhood, cannot control who walks down their street or who tries to attend their parties, making complaints like Taylor’s not only discourteous but also unfair.
Students enrolled at Occidental have to live either on campus or in the immediate area to ease their commute; they have little choice in the matter. Taylor made the choice to live in Eagle Rock next to a large two-story home rented by students in their 20s, and should have accepted the drawbacks before moving in.
Residents must also realize the benefits of living in close proximity with the college. Eagle Rock is patrolled every hour of the day by campus safety, a beneficial service that Occidental students pay for with tuition. It’s easy for residents to call Campus Safety on students, but students cannot hold community residents accountable for disruptive behavior.
Furthermore, President Veitch has made building a harmonious community a priority since he took office in 2009. The college has implemented several initiatives to aid the community’s youth and make Eagle Rock a cleaner and safer environment. When locals choose to move to Eagle Rock, they need to appreciate the benefits of living in a college town while recognizing that part of this give-and-take relationship means that students will use Eagle Rock socially on weekends.
The Deans suggest that students need to consider themselves part of the larger Eagle Rock community in order to ensure their weekend behavior remains respectful. While it is important to consider the living environment beyond campus boundaries, it is also important for residents to realize that by moving into the area, they in turn have to consider themselves a part of the Occidental community. It is common, for example, to walk down an Eagle Rock street and hear the constant barking of dogs locked up in their front yards.
There have even been reports of attacks on students by locally owned dogs. This is certainly an annoyance to Occidental students, if not a safety issue, that bears similar severity to the noise complaints of residents.
This significant divide between the residential and college community clearly needs improvement. Residents must remember that they made the decision to live in a college town and therefore should accept both the advantages and the drawbacks of their decision. Immediately reporting students to Campus Safety or sending threatening letters is not a logical tactic for creating a harmonious relationship.
Only an open dialogue between the administration, students and angered residents would begin to improve community relations.
Sam Byrne is an undeclared sophomore. She can be reached at sbyrne@oxy.edu.
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