What role should a college play in the life of a local community? Do students have a
responsibility to contribute beyond the classroom? How do perceptions on both sides of the
campus walls affect the relationship between a college and a community? What does the
future hold for Schenectady and Union College, and how will current projects – US
Initiative, Metroplex –impact the community?
These issues and others are being explored in a Wells House-sponsored series called
“The Union-Schenectady Relationship: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” on April
28 and May 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Nott Memorial.
“Union College and the city of Schenectady have coexisted for more than 200 years,
and it's interesting and important to hear from all sides about how things were, are
and will be,” said Ed Lallier '00 and series coordinator. “We need to talk
about the successes and failures of this relationship to understand what's possible
in the future.”
On Wednesday, April 28, a panel featuring local media, human service organizations,
Union students, faculty and administrators, and elected officials will discuss “The
Union-Schenectady Relationship: Today.” The panel will engage in dialogue and debate
on such issues as the role of students in the community and the impact of
Schenectady's tarnished image.
On Monday, May 3, Union President Roger H. Hull and Schenectady Mayor Albert Jurczynski
will examine “The Union-Schenectady Relationship: Tomorrow.” The leaders will
discuss current and future initiatives aimed at improving the College and the city.
The three-part series began April 21 with a look at the past: “The
Union-Schenectady Relationship: Yesterday” featuring Robert Wells, the Chauncey H.
Winters Professor of History and Social Sciences.