Staff editorial: A community connection

Even before he was inaugurated as university president, Wallace Loh began implementing his vision to turn College Park into a top-20 college town. First, he held listening sessions with different on and off-campus constituencies to familiarize himself with problems facing the university and surrounding community. Then, after months of listening, Loh last summer appointed numerous talking groups to address the issues he found. Those groups began reporting back last fall, and now, in his fourth semester as university president, Loh has begun reaching out to surrounding communities with that vision.

The pace could be described as, well … glacial. But like the monoliths of ice that eventually flattened parts of this continent during the last ice age, Loh's approach might be working.

Local officials swooned after Loh spoke at a "Four Cities Meeting" earlier this week, which brought together officials from College Park and the neighboring towns of Berwyn Heights, Greenbelt and New Carrollton.

"I like the fact that we have this opportunity to come together and share ideas," said Greenbelt Councilman Emmett Jordan. "We have so many mutual interests that it's important to all of our communities."

College Park Mayor Andy Fellows echoed the sentiment noting, "[Loh] really listens and really understands the value of the community to the university so that it's not two sets of common interests." District 1 Councilman Patrick Wojahn called the approach "a breath of fresh air."

A quick glance at a map of the surrounding area is all it takes to understand Loh's desire to stockpile goodwill with local governments. This institution is surrounded by a disjointed array of small and medium-sized communities: College Park borders most of the university, but University Park, Riverdale Park, New Carrollton, Greenbelt and Berwyn Heights are all populated by students and located close enough to impede — or benefit from — Loh's plans. The university's student population alone exceeds that of any one community, but combined, area officials wield enough power to stymie Loh's vision.

Which is why it is wise to bring local officials — especially those in College Park — into the fold. The city council doesn't exactly proffer a pro-student perspective, and other towns are primarily concerned with their own fiefdoms. If Loh can convince area officials to share his vision, maybe he can actually get something accomplished. Better late than never.