When you’re at school, the word community has a different meaning than when you are not in school.
To college students, our community is made up of our peers, our teammates and coaches, our professors and those we choose to spend our time with. It is time consuming to think about how our daily lives compare to those around us, and how we choose to spend our time on or off campus looks different for every person.
It is easy to get caught up with classes and activities that we don’t notice when things are changing outside of our bubble that is Drew University.
It can make a person wonder, when was the last time that we thought of the community outside our own? And what does that community think of us?
Madison, N.J. is a small college town, having three different campuses a short distance away from downtown. The town has always welcomed the students at these colleges into its life, from actually welcoming students at the start of the school year with flags, to providing essential resources like a pharmacy and a grocery store a short walk away as well as easy access into New York City.
It is wonderful having so much access in a small town, but in a way, all we do is take. As students, it is hard to give back to the community we are residing in, but that raises the question of “what does the school do?”
In an interview with Reverend Mark Shoal of the Madison United Methodist Church, a location students might be familiar with since it is on the corner of campus, it was brought to the Editorial Board’s attention that Drew University does not give off the welcoming demeanor that they promote.
Every year, on the first Saturday of October, Madison has a day dedicated to celebrating the creation of the town and the local businesses. Everyone participates, every restaurant, bookstore, band and choir, the fire and police departments and even local crafters get in on the action.
This event is called Bottle Hill Day, named after the historic Bottle Hill that used to be downtown Madison. It is a chance for everyone in the community to come together, support the local businesses and interact with one another.
However, despite the other two universities participating in this day, Drew University has been absent for quite a few years. One has to wonder why. Is it just a coincidence that Bottle Hill Day happens to fall on the weekend of fall break every year and the school has no time to attend? Or is it because they don’t have the time or resources to send a representative downtown?
Whatever the reason is, the absence is noticeable to those who pay attention.
Bottle Hill Day isn’t the only time when it is noticeable that Drew is absent. In a previous meeting with Rev. Shoal, it was mentioned that many of the theological students who attend the Methodist church have been scared for their safety while at Drew.
With the recent ICE attacks all over the country and some as close as Morristown, many of the students in both the College of Liberal Arts and the Theological school, have been seeking peace of mind and haven’t been able to find it in the school.
Quite a few of the students are international students, and they have felt the need to carry their visas and documentation with them on the short five minute walk from their dorms to the Methodist church.
The question as to why they are afraid is easy to answer, it is rather the question of why they feel like the school isn’t doing enough that needs to be answered.
Drew University has sent a few emails regarding ICE and the scares that have been reported, always ensuring that student safety is at their top priority, but if the students are feeling the safety that has been ensured to them–what is the point?
Many of the clubs at Drew, Esperanza for example, have held multiple sessions for students to become educated about their rights in regards to speaking to ICE agents, this includes making and carrying a card explaining those rights. These clubs have made it clear where they stand and are offering their support outwardly.
Again, the question is, where is Drew?
This sentiment is a common one. Whether you love this school and your life in it, or you don’t, it shouldn’t be common to feel that your school isn’t doing enough.
This question is not one that critiques the food at Commons or the hours of the Ehinger Center food court, it is questioning the values that Drew holds and is asking that the school do as they say, not just for the sake of their students, but for the sake of the town it resides in.
The Lead Ed is the collective opinion of the Editorial Board.
