By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The BG mayor and BGSU president tried to tidy up the city’s “front porch” on Friday afternoon.
East Wooster Street is the first impression families get of the community and campus as they drop off their children for college every fall. For the fourth year at the beginning of BGSU’s fall semester, Mayor Dick Edwards and BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey went door-to-door on East Wooster Street to ask students to clean up their acts.
If the students weren’t sure what that meant, Thomas Gibson, BGSU vice president for student affairs and vice provost, put it in simple terms.
“If you think your mother would be upset, don’t do it,” he said.
The mayor and university president began the door-to-door tradition four years ago after parents dropping off their college students objected to signs along the East Wooster rental properties suggesting that dads drop off their daughters at those homes.
This year, there was one sign painted on a large sheet, saying “Drop off you daddies and bring your natties,” referring to Natural Light beer.
BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey and BG Mayor Dick Edwards talk with students at party on East
Wooster Street.
That same yard had an inflatable pool in the front yard, inflatable bowling pins set up in the side yard – presumably for human bowling balls to knock down, loud music and red “danger” tape roping off the property.
Edwards, Mazey and Gibson were welcomed into the taped in area and offered beers. They shook hands with the students, but declined the beers – until after 5 p.m.
“We want to remind you folks of the shared responsibility we have,” Gibson said.
The scantily clad students seemed pleased to have such high ranking visitors – but at the same time, they were comfortable enough to continue cracking open beers as they talked.
The students said they would take down the large sign, and the city and university officials planned to return later to make sure it stayed down.
A BGSU student is surprised to find Mazey and Edwards at her door.
Most of the other stops along the door-to-door route were far less eventful. Oftentimes students were caught off guard to see the mayor and university president knocking at their front doors.
“Please put on a good face,” for visitors to the city and campus, Mazey told one student who had a shocked look on her face when she opened the door. “Spread the good word.”
As they walked along the sidewalk, Edwards stopped to chat with some new BGSU students from Bangladesh.
BG Mayor Dick Edwards stop on East Wooster Street to talk with BGSU students from Bangladesh.
At another house, they encountered three male students.
“Good behavior this weekend – that’s all we ask,” Mazey said.
After the distinguished guests left, the students said they did not feel the city and university were cramping their freedoms.
“It’s not an issue, we’re fine with that,” Mark Buzzard said.
For all those houses where no one answered the doors, official letters were left behind for the students living on the front porch of the city and campus.
Mayor Dick Edwards, BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey, Thomas Gibson and Alex Solis go door-to-door.
The letters offer the following tips to students living off-campus:
- Make meaningful contact. Introduce yourself to neighbors. A simple hello goes a long way to building relationships.
- Know neighbors on a personal level. Ask questions about their interests, professions, backgrounds and their family.
- Be considerate. Please think about your neighbors’ schedules, which may be different from yours, and be considerate. Making too much noise, particularly late at night, is a nuisance against the law. Large parties can also cause friction with your neighbors and violate city ordinances.
- Be respectful. We pride ourselves on being a welcoming, inclusive community. Posting signs or banners that your classmates and members of the community could find offensive runs counter to our values as a community. It could also be a violation of your lease and city ordinances.
- Know your lease. Understand what your landlord is responsible for and what your obligations are for things like trash disposal, lawn care and snow removal.
- Know your city and neighborhood. Familiarize yourself with regulations on things like noise and litter ordinances, parking and snow removal. Much of this information can be found on the City of Bowling Green’s website.
- Stay connected. Sign up for the city’s eNews at bgohio.org and follow on Twitter @cityofbg.
