Let’s face it: Wesleyan has never been a model for exceptional town-gown relations. Mention the name ‘North End’ and the only
response most students impart is a blank stare. Which is why it is crucial that the Student Unity Network and the University work to
certify that this significant collaboration with North End Action Team stays focused on its original goal: to make the ‘Middletown slums’
more livable for its current residents, the people who need them most.

Currently the majority of houses in the North End are owned by absentee landlords who have virtually no connection to their tenants and little reason to improve the condition of their homes. It is extremely commendable that the University has made a commitment to these people to step in with resources that the residents would not otherwise have had. However, most North End residents, while eager to see their homes restored, are equally attached to their community. The University’s proposed renovation project, making suggestions like placing Wesleyan faculty in the newly restored homes, jeopardizes this.

One of the strongest arguments for the North End collaboration is to create a bridge between the University and Middletown and a place
both can share. If the North End is restored enough for faculty, the land value will swell beyond what the original residents can afford.
Wesleyan will essentially run the residents out of their homes, defeating the project’s original goal. While cushioning Wesleyan with
another affluent neighborhood is a nice idea, it is important that the University stick to goals that will not displace the Middletown community.