Congratulations to Dr. Suzanne Shipley, Shepherd University’s president-elect. The news of her appointment creates an opportunity for the university to re-imagine its relations with the Town. From the community’s perspective, partnership has not been the university’s strong suit. Instead of talking up Shepherd’s cultural events and athletic teams, people more often talk about such things as the university’s suspected role in disrupting our water supply when blasting was underway last summer. They also cite the Town’s parking problem, created by a few thousand students and faculty driving to the university. And that the university balked at connecting the new bridge over the Potomac to the Town’s sidewalk system—who would shovel it, they wanted to know. People also question the impact on Town life of the university’s goal of doubling enrollment.
In deference to outgoing president, David Dunlop, we do appreciate the financial pressures on modern university presidents. Public funding of public universities is diminishing, and Dr. Dunlop has focused on what most university presidents now focus on … raising money. Most college presidents are now fundraisers-in-chief.
In truth, so-called “town-gown” relations are more than a distraction to a university president; they should be an essential aspect of the job description, one measure by which a president is judged by the university’s board. The Town and the university are, literally, joined at the hip.
Shepherdstown Mayor Lance Dom has his own wish list for how Shipley might improve relations with the Town. On his list are collaborating on parking, a town plaza for the McMurran Hall area, and a walkway over Route 480 connecting east and west campus.
To the mayor’s list, we add: a more developed collaboration between university cultural programs and Town businesses. For example, the Contemporary American Theatre Festival is a core asset to the Town, bringing tourists and money. We’re still seeing just the tip of the iceberg on how together we can enhance the national prominence of the festival as well as its economic benefits. There are other assets as yet untapped, including programs at the Center for Legislative Studies and the offerings of the music department. Shepherd is also a silent partner in the American Conservation Film Festival, which has attracted filmmakers from across the U.S. but can’t seem to get the attention of the university.
We want the university to be engaged in the environment of the Town, on efforts ranging from the streetscape initiative, to greening the town’s delivery of services, to water and sewage issues (the university is the largest customer). We applaud the university when it does cooperate, such as on the removal of power lines near McMurran Hall (see pg. 7).
When asked about her view of how Shepherd University should be involved in Town life, incoming president Shipley remarked that she would consider sitting on one or two organizations’ boards if the Town wanted her leadership. We respectfully challenge her to take a different approach.
The Town is not seeking the university’s advice on how to run a town. The Town wants, and deserves, a fully engaged equal partner.