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University Diaries has called for the shutting down of the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s…

… physical campus. It is one of her Online Makeover schools, schools so laptopped, over-crowded, and adjunctified that they should admit the obvious and fold as non-virtual locations.

But there’s a special additional reason for U Mass Amherst to cease operations. It is extremely violent and dangerous. It’s been a markedly nasty campus for years (UD has followed the riots), but now, just three weeks into the new school year, things have gotten totally out of hand.

The first weekend of school, police tried to disperse a large party, at a house on Meadow Street, and the students responded by throwing bottles at the cops.

The following weekend, one man was beaten and two students were stabbed at a party …

This weekend, police made 168 arrests and broke up a party of 500 to 700 people …

How long do you keep pretending you’re a university, when what you are, mainly, is a strain on police resources?

Margaret Soltan, September 26, 2011 6:20PM
Posted in: Online Makeover

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11 Responses to “University Diaries has called for the shutting down of the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s…”

  1. Anonymous Says:

    This makes me sad. I did a postdoc at UMass back in the day – the location is gorgeous and the faculty and staff (and many of the students) were great. But even then, everyone knew to steer clear of the frat row starting at about 4pm Fridays, and all the dorms on any game day. But get rid of the whole university? Please, UD.

  2. J. Fisher Says:

    Full disclosure:

    When I was a young lad, living in Central Massachusetts, readying myself for college, my parents gave me this advice:

    “You will apply to UMASS-Amherst as your safety school. However, you will not go there.”

    Looking back, I think I probably paid way too much for my college education at a fancy-dancy private SLAC that prides itself on giving its students miserable grades to combat grade inflation. I know quite a few people who went to UMASS-Amherst and have done quite well for themselves–better than me by some measures. Having said that, I find the rioting at these large unis to be quite despicable–I’m looking at you, too, UMD-College Park–and I’m amazed that it goes on and on and on and on, generation after generation.

    Then again, its not like UMASS hasn’t rolled with a gangster or two in its lifetime. Whuddya expect?

  3. Margaret Soltan Says:

    Not get rid of it, Anonymous. Make it the Univ. of Mass. Online. It’s already happening – with no help from me.

  4. Mr Punch Says:

    Things will surely improve when the move up to FBS football is complete.

  5. Margaret Soltan Says:

    To be sure, Mr Punch.

  6. University Diaries » This blog is well-known for having named… Says:

    […] the University of Georgia the worst university in America. But the grotesquely violent University of Massachusetts Amherst – a sort of baccalaureate Beirut – certainly holds the number two position. Do they have […]

  7. University Diaries » “A whole part of the experience at UMass is being a part of the riot.” Says:

    […] U Mass the drunken shits have won; it’s their traditions that dominate and define the campus. The […]

  8. Michael Tinkler Says:

    Anonymous 1 says:
    …steer clear of the frat row starting at about 4pm Fridays, and all the dorms on any game day.

    You advise folks to steer clear of all the dorms on any game day (which includes games like the World Series, not played by local teams but which does occur during term time). Sounds like a good enough reason to shut it down as a residential campus to me. UMassOnline.

  9. University Diaries » See, this is why U Mass Amherst should do a total online makeover. Says:

    […] humiliating enough that Massachusetts tax payers subsidize absurdly overcrowded lectures; they also have to pay for the consequences of U Mass’s large number of violent drunks. These […]

  10. University Diaries » This time last year… Says:

    […] … the incredibly violent University of Massachusetts, Amherst – a university which seems to have a gang-legacy admissions category – was the scene of extensive back-to-school bloodshed. […]

  11. University Diaries » Training Season for a New U Mass Quarterback Has Begun! Says:

    […] track record of student rioting, seems to recruit its star players with an eye toward that history and […]

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