Representatives from the State and Langdon Street neighborhood formally presented a plan to separate from a downtown neighborhood association at an executive body meeting Tuesday.
Jessica Pavlic, chair of the State-Langdon neighborhood, said the area was considering seceding from Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc. in order to pursue the creation of a campus-wide neighborhood association.
“There’s this disconnect between State-Langdon and the campus as a whole,” Pavlic said.
“Through my experience in talking to students, the biggest pro I saw from this is having an entire student neighborhood incorporating the entire campus.”
A CNI panel discussion on downtown drinking in January yielded many student complaints about CNI’s suggestions of stricter alcohol policies, according to Ald. Eli Judge, District 8. The State-Langdon neighborhood falls within the District 8 boundaries.
Despite student disapproval, Pete Ostlind, chair of the Bassett District, said CNI presented the policies as strategies to address alcohol problems throughout the downtown community. Ostlind said the proposal is intended to target unwanted behavior, not students.
The suggestions hampered CNI’s image among students and made them reluctant to become active in the association, according to Mikaela Louie, student member of CNI’s executive body.
“I think that now that this alcohol issue has been brought forward, it’s kind of tainted the student’s idea of CNI, so trying to get more students involved in the State-Langdon district might be harder if we are associated with CNI,” Louie said.
The goal of a campus neighborhood association would be to encourage more student participation in residential and city matters, according to State-Langdon representatives.
CNI vice president Bob Holloway said the association’s bylaws do not detail how to handle secessions, but encouraged further discussion prior to an official separation.
Ultimately, the CNI executive body voted to create a subcommittee of interested members to address the secession possibility and issues related to organizing a campus neighborhood association. Both CNI members and State-Langdon representatives agreed to work closely and maintain communication throughout the process.
“‘Us’ and ‘them’ is not going to get any of us any place constructive … we can do this together,” Holloway said.
