Hey Radnor, where’s the beef?

By and large, the students here at Eastern are a pretty mellow bunch.

Just compare us to your stereotypical college and you’ll find a number of marked differences. We don’t throw wild parties. Alcohol and drug usage are pretty much nonexistent here. We don’t run wild through Wayne like a bunch of hooligans and trash the town.

In short, Eastern University is what most people think of when they describe a good neighbor.

So why, then, does Radnor Township seem to hate the school so much?

Take, for example, our recent purchase of the apartment buildings from Valley Forge Military Academy. The Township attempted to block the sale, and when they were unsuccessful, they decreed that we were no longer allowed to park in the West Campus lot, even though we now own the whole parking lot. Eastern students had been parking there for over 40 years without incident.

Unfortunately, the problem with the parking lot is not an isolated incident. The Township also protested Eastern’s acquisition of the Mayer Property behind Kea Hall and the admittedly controversial demolition of the Log Cabin was met with equal resistance. It seems like every time Eastern attempts to acquire a new piece of property, or to build or demolish a structure on school property, Radnor Township vehemently disapproves of the university’s actions. Not only does the township protest, but it also does everything in its power to stop the school’s plans, even if they have no bearing on the outside community whatsoever.

And here’s the rub: this is not equal-opportunity meddling. Radnor Township does not seem to have this attitude towards either Cabrini College or Valley Forge Military Academy. Every time Eastern attempts to do something, the Township seems to come after us with a vengeance, while at the same time allowing Cabrini and VFMA to do pretty much whatever they please.

So what have we done to deserve your ire, Radnor Township? Eastern students respect the neighboring communities and inject a decent amount of money into their respective economies. Students don’t run wild through the streets like animals, trashing the towns. The school’s population is relatively quiet and mostly keeps to itself. Students don’t throw crazy parties that are constantly being broken up by the local police. In short, Eastern is a good neighbor.

Eastern respects Radnor Township. All we ask is that Radnor Township respects us in return.