The recent relocation of Saint Xavier students from the Parkside Village housing complex to various residences across campus has, to a degree, pitted some students against the administration—a perennial occurrence at any university. Both sides have valid reasons for feeling the way they do, and only when they understand each other can we move forward.
The Xavierite believes that the university displayed an admirable commitment to student safety and welfare during this situation. At the same time, opponents of the decision to relocate have a point when they argue the action was rather extreme and abrupt.
The spark that caused the university to end relationships with Parkside Village centered on an unknown individual with a BB gun who had been firing into the building’s windows. Pellets were fired on five or six occasions, involving 17 windows, most recently on Christmas.
While many students may argue that a few pellets do not constitute a threat to their lives and well being, the intent behind the attacks does. This was not some isolated incident. The frequency of the shootings implies that the perpetrator had a serious problem with that particular residence complex and/or its residents.
There is no telling what he or she might have done in the future. Hence, the university was wise to place safety first and not take the risk of the situation escalating.
We hope that the university applies these common sense safety precautions in every aspect of its operation, like not sending students to high-crime areas for education or nursing clinical experiences, for example.
Nevertheless, some of the relocated students are upset, and understandably so. After all, the e-mail they received telling them to begin packing was extremely abrupt. Imagine the police knocking on your door telling you to permanently leave your house because the ground is unstable and might collapse. No doubt, you would be frustrated and angry.
Instead of this sudden and drastic action, the university should have gradually been keeping students informed that such a decision might be made. Since the shootings occurred over a period of time, there was ample opportunity for discourse and correspondence with the students so as to ease into this eleventh hour exodus.
Furthermore, the task of keeping the Saint Xavier campus and all of its holdings safe and orderly is up to Public Safety. So we would like to respectfully pose the question whether more proactive approaches could have been taken to prevent these incidents or apprehend the perpetrator on the part of that department.
From a practical standpoint, however, it makes sense for the school to end its contract with the tenant not only from a safety concern regarding the students, but from a liability standpoint regarding university finances.
Consider if just one student lost an eye to a BB pellet. Not only would that student suffer with that injury the rest of his or her life, but the university would surely be sued, and rightfully so. Such a lawsuit could completely ruin the university’s finances and image, negatively affecting all students, faculty and staff in the future.
Thus, the university basically has no choice but to leave Parkside. Students who claim they should have the right to stay regardless of the university’s decision are correct. In fact they do. They can always enter into private contracts with the landlord to which Saint Xavier is not a party. In fact, a couple students have done just that.
Now, we know through unofficial channels that one of the likely reasons some former student residents of Parkside Village are upset with the closure is that those apartments were known for their parties. Such parties are petty reasons to risk students’ safety, however, and anybody fairly examining this issue will understand that. The parties can always be relocated with the students.
In the end, this relocation is one of those issues to which a mutual understanding might not be reached. According to Vice President John Pelrine, however, the process has gone relatively smoothly.
We are happy to hear that. This could always have gone worse. After all, we are talking about removing people from their homes. Safety must always come first, but that does not mean that the university cannot learn from this experience to make future such decisions go even more smoothly.
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