I’m very delighted to be invited to deliver this key note address on one of the topical issues in Institutional management: the town and the gown relationship. As a Professional University Administrator, I come from the University Community which is referred to as “the gown” in this lecture and by virtue of my indigenization of Ilaro Township I also belong to the “Town” population. It is therefore my pleasure to address you on this important subject matter as a major stake holder in the system and in the community.
May I crave the indulgence of the esteemed audience in this auditorium to pay glowing tribute to the Rector for the beautiful work he had been doing in the Polytechnic since he assumed duty as the Chief Executive of this Institution. We are happy with the heartwarming news we always receive about the progress being made in the running of the Polytechnic and about the ranking of the Institution as one of the leading Polytechnic among its peers in the Federation. As an indigene and one of the elites of the town, I can say on behalf of our people that we are satisfied with the level of transformation of the Institution, it had had been quite remarkable, very impressive and of great interest to us. My due regards to him and his management team. May the Lord continue to guide and direct him in the management of the affairs of the Polytechnic.
The Students Union Government
Students Union Government is an essential element of Institutional management. Every Institution of higher learning recognizes the student’s union as an important arm of their central Administration. It refers to the governing body of the students through a selection process which enjoys adequate recognition in the enabling laws of the Institutions and by the laws of the Federation.
The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro is one of those Institutions in the Country who agree to the need to systematize students’ union activities in her campus to provide variety of services to students in the Polytechnic in accordance with the Institution’s governing laws and regulations.
Functions of Students Union
Student’s Unions are established to provide representative roles and leadership to students’ body; they are expected to have some measures of controlling interests in the welfare standard and other matters that affect the student’s populace with primary objectives of supporting the goals and mission of the Institutions. Students Union therefore is suppose to serve as critical link between the Students and the Institution’s Authorities to provide campus services in the best interest of the students’ population
It must be emphasized that SUG is not an autonomous body to rival or create a parallel administration in the Institutions where they exist. It is the avowed responsibility of the Union to promote unity, cordial relationship and orderliness through adequate representation between the Students and Institutional administrations and the Government. The Union is not a platform to promote bitterness or sponsor mayhem and anarchy in the Institutions and in the Community
The Students Union Control
You must be aware that for the purpose of good governance and responsible Student Unionism, there exist in the laws of Federation, Students Union Activities (control and Regulations) Act of 1989 which empowers the President, the Minister, the Governing Council of the Institutions, Vice Chancellors or Rectors to proscribe Union activities in campuses as they may deem it fit. They are also empowered to suspend or expel students for good reasons after due investigation thereto `
Student’s Union activities therefore are by this legislation supposed to be a responsible one subject to approval and control of the Senate of the University or Academic Board of the Polytechnics.
The Town and Gown perspective
The “town and gown” is a parlance connotation of an historical allegory often used to refer to the resident populations in the community where the Institutions exist. There are two communities of people in this regard, the first being the academic community of people who operate in the campuses and the other one being the non academic population residents of the host communities. The host community plays significant roles in the life of an Institution; they contribute their lands, provide accommodation and regulate social activities in the entire community. They also secure the environment and provide essential daily needs of the people in the academic community.
Let me explain that this connotative term “town and gown” has its historical origin long time ago from the middle ages when University Students adorn gown and hood to academic Institutions to distinguish themselves from members of their immediate Communities.
The term therefore refers to those who ware gown and those who do not ware gown in the learned community and the host community respectively
The gown in this expression refers to the traditional academic robes of Institutions of higher learning that became adopted from the traditional British Universities from early 1800. The gown then was seen as a relaxed ware for studying in the academic arena. It was a symbol of social recognition while the hoods are meant to identify and distinguish students’ colleges and faculties. By this distinctive attire students were identified and distinguished from the citizens of the town hence the term or phrase “town and gown”. The town therefore refers to inhabitants of University or Institution’s communities where students and personnel of the Institutions also live.
Relationship between the town and the gown
The relationship between the town and the gown is supposed to be symbiotic and complimentary to each other. The residents of the global community often referred to as (indigenes) and the Students and faculty staff who ware gown as distinctive mark of identification during academic ceremonies are same people of the larger society who share same or divergent cultural and economic history. The class distinction between the two groups of people shouldn’t be a cause for disintegration and divisiveness.
However, we have found overtimes that the relationship between the town and the gown are both pleasant and unfriendly depending on how they are managed even when they coexist, co-operate and interact at personal levels
*The principle of loco parentis in Students
town and gown relationship*
This doctrine in Latin phrase which means “in place of a parent” gives the Institutions management, the students’ landlords and the Community leaders to play the roles of the parents of the students who live in their community and the responsibilities of maintaining high standard of students’ welfare to ensure their well being. The disconnect however is that students of higher institutions often wish to enjoy significant autonomy and independence in their choice places of residence especially those who live off campus and are not willing to surrender themselves under any parental control or guidance and mentorship of the town people
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There now exist a distinction between those who live in the student hostels under the close supervision and watch of the authorities with codes of conduct and those who live in off campus housing arrangement and who feels nobody can control their activities or movement within the community where they live. In most times, the authorities and the student unions because of the nonchalant attitude of the students who live in off campus show little concern about their welfare and are therefore left at the mercies of the co-inhabitants in their immediate accommodation environment
The tensions between the town and the gown
We have seen situations where Students of the Polytechnic or University community are having causes to clash over political, traditional, economic, mobility, nocturnal, and commercial issues. The fact is that campus expansion causes rise in students’ population which often affect inadequacies of community infrastructure since they share common facilities such as electricity, water, road and housing
There is the issue of growing autonomy of the gown and mindset of independence from local control of the town. The students sees themselves as being highly sophisticated, well polished because they speak English language while they consider the residents as uneducated and uncivilized. There are therefore elements of arrogance, assertiveness, encroachment and resentment in the relationship between the town and the gown which affect cordial relationship of both. These factors of language barriers, cultural differences and economic issues create incessant tensions between town and gown which if not properly managed often result in anarchy and mayhem
The blame trade
We have seen that in many cases, the disputes that often arise are caused by the unnecessary dispositions with regards to cost benefits of the town gown connections.
Students do argue that their existence in the community is significant to the economic and financial sustainability of the host towns and therefore regard themselves as the economic backbone of the host communities. Whereas, the Townies’ counter claim maintained that the existence of growing students population in their community put undue pressure on their economy as they now need to expand infrastructure to accommodate the varying needs of the students without meaningful contributions from the school authorities thus making their remunerations from house rents and commerce inadequate for their survival.
In most cases, the students found it difficult to obey simple community regulations such that restrict movements at some hours of the day and observance of regulations concerning traditional norms, religious rites and culture of the people. The students claim modernization while the town people insist on strict compliance with their communal laws and rites.
There are also cases of over zealousness of some inhabitants of the communities over exploitation of the students and insensitivity to a number of issues. Many of the students’ landlords and local sellers impose discriminatory regulations and charges on the students which in many instances are contributory where we have students’ communal unrests. The fact is some residents of student area in the town communities are unreceptive of many of the students’ misbehaviors and always prepared to resent and reproach them.
The need for integration
Regardless of the situations and misunderstandings creating rivalry and tension between the students and townies, there are needs for co-existence, peaceful living, and co-operation among them. The town and gown relationship should be beneficial to one another for healthy growth and development
We must realize that Institutions are established for academic research and community services meaning that the activities of the gown must be quite beneficial to the town with utmost regards since the products of the gown will still come out of the system to become a useful member of the town
Cordial relationship of the town and the gown results in peace, stability, economic progress, security and goals attainment of the two parties
Since the gown provides the basic and essential services for economic and social growth on the land and facilities that belong to the town, cordial and harmonious relationship with the town and vice versa will be beneficial to both the town and the gown foe sustainable development while strains in their relationship will be detrimental to healthy social and economic development of both communities who supposed to live in symbiosis
The roles of the Student Union Government in fostering cordial relationship with the host community
It must be noted that it is the leadership of the town and the gown that determine and manage the beneficial relations between the town and the gown.
The Students Union Government as the critical link between the students and the Polytechnic Authorities has enormous responsibilities to promote peaceful and cordial relationship between the Institution and the students and with the host community. This is one way in which the goal of education can be attained
The students should note that since they also came from a community which a times may not even be as civilized and accommodating to the present level of their host community are expected to be considerate in their dealings with the people in the host community over a number of issues as no one will like his community or people to be ridiculed or abused.
The students body should therefore at all time be involved in peace processes and transactional model for social and economic development of the host community. They should be ready to play reconciliatory roles where necessary and consult more in case of disagreements
Conclusion
There is need for mutual understanding of the need for peaceful co-existence and symbolic overflowing cordial relationship between the town and the gown.
Institutions should work together with the host community to ensure growth and development through revitalization projects
The Polytechnic leadership should intervene when it is necessary to protect the safety of the students living off campus.
Although this is not legally banded on the Management of the Institutions, but it is administratively expedient in order to promote mutual growth and development between the town and the gown.
Students’ body leadership should always endeavor to organize orientation programmes for fresh students on the rights and privileges of students and townies.
Institutions too should be socially responsible to the host communities by also having community projects in areas where we have lager concentration of their students living off campus.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I want to conclude by saying that the town is the bigger community that accommodates the gown. The gown therefore should not look down on the community rather they should collaborate their programmes and interest and largely be made to accommodate the national interest as both the town and the gown cannot exist in isolation of one another there is therefore the need to strengthen the friendship relationship between the two communities of people in the interest of national development.
I thank you for listening
