I am writing in response to the letter to the editor entitled "O University, where art thou?" (University Chronicle, Feb. 14)
I sympathize with the issue brought up by Justin Splinter � problems with items being stolen from off-campus houses. Yes, crime stinks. But is the university to blame? I live off campus, too, although further away than the immediate campus area. I've also experienced items being stolen in the past. Now, if you lived on campus, I think you'd have a valid gripe. But, people who don't live on campus have intentionally selected differences in their housing.
People who live off campus aren't restricted in certain things, such as possessing alcohol. Dorm-less people also don't have restrictions on visitors or smoking areas. Surely off-campus residents wouldn't want the university overseeing such things, right? One can't have it both ways.
Next question, where does the university's responsibility stop? Let's suppose for a moment that it IS the university's responsibility to oversee private, off-campus housing. For how many blocks? Three blocks off campus? Four? Five? What if I live on a street that's six blocks away from campus � should I not be entitled to the same protection as my fellow students across the street? What if I live a mile away from campus? Is it also "Big University's" responsibility to swing by and make sure my doors are locked?
People who know me know that I'm not the first to stand up and defend the university, but this school has been attacked a lot in the recent past, mostly for legitimate problems. This, however, is not one of them.
Kevin Nagle
Senior
Mass Communications
