… 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?
September 27th, 2011 at 11:01AM
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.
September 27th, 2011 at 11:05AM
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?
September 27th, 2011 at 11:52AM
Not get rid of it, Anonymous. Make it the Univ. of Mass. Online. It’s already happening – with no help from me.
September 27th, 2011 at 11:55AM
Things will surely improve when the move up to FBS football is complete.
September 27th, 2011 at 12:09PM
To be sure, Mr Punch.
December 11th, 2011 at 10:26AM
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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.
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