Dear Editor,

The Recorder had a report by your staff writer, Isabella Chan, on Oct. 3, on the problems caused to long-time residents in the vicinity of the university by CCSU students who live off-campus. As someone who has lived for a very long time in this area (and teach at CCSU), I can say that the issues related to students trashing the neighborhood and engaging in unruly behavior has never been resolved since landlords started buying-up homes in the vicinity of the university, converting them into cheap student housing and competing with CCSU’s residence halls.

It has become common practice to cram four or more unrelated students into single-family homes, violating the city of New Britain’s ordinance. Unfortunately, with low staff resources, the city has been unable to enforce this regulation. Students are attracted to off-campus living for mainly two reasons—the lower cost overall and the freedom to have parties with alcohol. The latter also has the associated problem of attracting campus residents to roam the neighborhoods seeking weekend entertainment (Thursday to Saturday between the hours of 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.). Anyone who walks the streets can see cans, bottles and assorted garbage flung into residential yards and campus property despite trash barrels that are located conveniently in the areas. With an influx of many more cars that are parked on the streets, some roads in the neighborhoods have become nearly impassable.

Students seem to feel an increased entitlement to boorish behavior when they leave their homes. And when they rove the streets in large groups, a mob behavior takes over. It is also fueled by a climate of untrammeled, arrogant, rude, self-righteous, narcissistic and aggressive behavior by our leaders, sports stars and entertainment celebrities that is prominently showcased on television and social media.

The city of New Britain can help year-round residents by enforcing its occupancy rules and penalizing landlords who ignore them. Street parking in violation of signs prohibiting it should be enforced. Landlords need to be held accountable. Both city and campus police can help by monitoring the neighborhood more vigilantly in the late night/early morning hours on weekends. The university should send letters to students before the beginning of the academic year informing them of our expectations and warning them of sanctions that can be imposed for violations of the code of conduct.

The problem started years ago as older people moved out of the neighborhoods. Younger families with children are reluctant to move in because of the totally biased and false image perpetuated by the “inferiority” of New Britain’s schools. Both the university’s mission and strategic plan mention “Community Engagement” and “expanding” it. This can be better implemented if our own administrators, faculty and staff commit to living in the city, thereby expressing confidence in its future, and engage with all its residents in diverse ways—from its schools to its cultural institutions, from its small-scale industries to its restaurants. This would also have the secondary advantage of alleviating the problems that have beset us from homes that have been bought up by landlords to be converted to off-campus residences.

Sincerely yours,

Sadu Nanjundiah