These are fun conversations.
In the weeks since Western News ran its How to make London super! article, where engaged members of the university community offered advice on keeping Western grads in London, I have enjoyed several conversations with folks – both on and off campus – about the topic. Seems people want to move this conversation toward action (as you see on our pages again today).
During these discussions, a number of you asked what I would like to see happen in London.
Now, I don’t profess any special insight or behind-the-scenes access, given less than three years in-country. I have, however, lived in London, both as a student and as a ‘townie’, and have worked in several university towns in The States with many of the same difficulties confronting London.
To me, London’s issues boil down to this: a continual longing for what it was or what it’s missing rather than an appreciation for what it has. And that’s a tough attitude to shake.
There are simple, somewhat pithy, answers to what I would fix first: Occasionally enforcing a traffic law or two; developing a modern transit system; saying ‘no’ to a developer every now and again; even getting trains out of the downtown. But those don’t get to the heart of what we set out to address, higher university-grad retainment numbers.
Many universities south of the border are blessed with being the only show in town. That allows a city culture to develop around the university, creating a true ‘University Town’ feel. That, in turn, becomes attractive to keeping grads in the city as they transition from a lifetime of schooling into the real world.
And once a grad starts to put down those first roots, it gets tougher to move on. The secret, London, is not attracting youth, but finding ways to keep it.
Certainly, London will never have the advantage of being a true ‘University Town.’ It is a diversified city who, despite often thinking like a small town, is a major metro area. But this is a matter of attitude, not size.
I came from Athens, Ga., home to the University of Georgia, a slightly bigger university than Western situated in a community a quarter the size of London. Unlike this city, that seems to wish for more widget-makers from its university, Athens embraces the school for more than its obvious economic implications.
Sure, there were rocky moments as in any town-and-gown relationship. But Athens saw the university as a linchpin to the cultural, intellectual, athletic, entertainment, in addition to economic, interests of the community. City officials knew all of those factors led to a greater quality of life for its year-round citizens, as well as a solid boost to the economy in the bodies it drew to town.
Some of these relationships exist between Western and London. But the problem isn’t simply a matter of Western telling these stories better, as you so often hear. It’s a matter of someone wanting to hear them. And I don’t get the feeling London is interested in what’s special about the university.
We’re just another employer – might as well be another hospital or factory. And grads see that. I know I did.
Grads by the hundreds would take lower-paying jobs just to stay in Athens, but they cannot get out of London fast enough. Why is that? For one, they were welcomed and appreciated in Athens. I don’t see that here.
Until the city accepts a university is different than a factory, and in that difference reside wonderful opportunities for the community, I don’t see anything changing.
So my suggestion: Let’s embrace a bit of our inner ‘University Town,’ and start appreciating what we have. Because until the community sees the university as something special, why would Western’s grads return the favour?