The makings of a college town

     Milledgeville has a positive outlook on the “town and gown” relations of GCSU and the city government.
      “Town and gown” refers to the relations between a university and the town or city in which it is located. GCSU has been located in Milledgeville since it was founded in 1889 as Georgia Normal & Industrial College. The college has grown and become a massive establishment in Milledgeville, contributing to economy, society, and historical importance.
     The evolution of Milledgeville into a college town has jumped in recent years with the sudden student population explosion as recent as the mid-nineties. Craig Amason, the executive director of the Andalusia Farm off Hwy 441, went to GCSU in the late 1980s and says the town and the school have grown exponentially since. With that growth came the importance of a stronger and more in depth relationship between GCSU and the town of Milledgeville.
     What is the relationship of Milledgeville to GCSU? Mayor Richard Bentley has lived in Milledgeville his whole life, 44-years, and believes the city government has warm relations with the school.
     “I consider it a blessing that Milledgeville is home to the only publicly accredited liberal arts institution in Georgia” Bentley said.
     Dr. Leland, president of GCSU agreed.
     “There is a strong communication between the town and the university and we collaborate on matters that concern both.”
Although having this institution here and close to downtown has it benefits, it causes problems as well. These include rezoning, parking, and historical preservation.
City Manager Scott Wood is well aware of these issues.
     “GCSU is an asset to the community economically and culturally,” Wood said. “What is good for the college is good for the community and vice versa.”
     The city government believes that challenges faced by the presence of a university can be overcome by working together.
     “The College wants to be good neighbors,” Bentley said, “so we can work to combine education with heritage.”
     President Leland echoed many of Bentley’s comments about town and university relations. She cited numerous examples of joint activities the two entities hold together.
     “University police provide back-up for the city,” said Dr. Bryan Jackson, director of communications at GCSU.
     President Leland also added that she is “always asking how something impacts the community in Milledgeville.”
     One of the major concerns in Milledgeville is historical preservation. Milledgeville is one of few planned capital towns. Its history runs deep within the nations veins.
     Amason believes that the school helps in this area. GCSU has been of benefit in preserving historical buildings by rehabilitating them for university use.
     “Historical accuracy must sometimes be compromised in order to keep a building alive,” Amason said.
     Another problem that GCSU students and the town face is housings zones. Students want to live as comfortable and as close to campus as possible. Milledgeville has been zoned into multiple resident districts and single family districts.
     “Zoning inconsistencies”, as referred to by Bentley, are being dealt with GCSU in mind. An example that the Mayor referred to was “rezoning two blocks across from Russell as MR2s to allow multiple residents in homes and an ordinance to allow lofts above buildings.”
     Both GCSU and Milledgeville have continually expressed their desire to keep each other in mind when making decisions. Bentley says that “decisions have to be made in compromise.”
     Overall, the dichotomy of “town and gown” does not hold up between Milledgeville and GCSU. Bentley wants the students to know that Milledgeville is “their city government as well, they are part of the community, and our doors are always open.”        
     The Mayor wants students to feel welcome and the University wants to keep the community in mind. With citizen-minded people, Milledgeville and the university can break any dichotomy they face.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 14 2007. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry