Students and Community Members Voice Concerns on Local Issues at Town Hall Meeting

On Tuesday, March 24, 2015 students, community members and public officials were invited to participate in the first of a series of Democratic Engagement Town Hall meetings.

Frostburg State University’s J. Glenn Beall Institute for Public Affairs and the Office of Civic Engagement are hosting the Town Hall series with the goal of creating an open and positive forum for people to speak on current issues.

Tuesday’s meeting focused on local issues in Frostburg.

Before the meeting officially began Tim Magrath, executive director of the Beall Institute for Public Affairs took the time to introduce the public officials and professors in attendance.  Afterwards, Magrath thanked everyone for coming, spat a few jokes, and gave everyone the green light to begin discussing topics for discussion.

When the floor opened up for discussion the first topic brought up was FSU’s Title IX issues. It was noted that the university has hired someone to handle this issue, Beth W. Hoffman. Many students in attendance felt that alcohol played a huge part in incidents related to sexual assault. “When intoxicated woman are a lot more vulnerable to attack. We have to be aware of how much alcohol we consume and the people that are around us when we do” said DeAngelas Kamora, a sophomore at FSU. Being more self-aware will help to become one step closer to a solution.

Other things that students were very passionate about included the need for a recycling program for students that live off campus, and ways for students get jobs/internships in the Frostburg area.

“Live simple, so others can simply live” said Woody Getz, commissioner of public works.  Students that live on campus have access recycling bins in residence halls as well as on campus. Students who live off campus face a difficult struggle to recycle. The argument of whether or not landlords should offer recycling to their residents was at the top of list.  There is in fact a recycling program that comes around once a month to pick up recyclables. Students would have to sign up and pay in order to receive service.

In regards to jobs and internships, students wish there was a way they could find local businesses interested in hiring them. A suggestion made by John Kirby, city administrator, is to list all the businesses’ with openings on the Chamber of Commerce website. The career center is also a significant place on campus where students can seek help on the job hunt.

One particular challenge that FSU students have been facing for years is the ongoing stereotype “Frostburg is a party school.”  Ayonna Carroll, a senior at FSU, said “It is hard to get the locals to change their minds about us after all this time.”  Even with programs like Beautify the Burg it is still an ongoing struggle to change the residential view. “Perception is reality” said Tim Magrath.

The last question on the table was “How do we get more students to vote for our city officials?” Dr. Williams Childs, Provost and Vice President of Student Affairs suggested that students vote early because the local elections are during the summer when students are at home.

“Many of the people running for positions we don’t either know who they are. It would be great if maybe the candidates would come and speak with us at the university, then we could see that they care. They need us as much as we need them,” said Carroll.