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| Southern Virginia University's growth has brought out mixed feelings in the community. (MARISA VAN BRUNT/The Rockbridge Report) |
Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista has announced it will expand both its academic term and its athletic facilities this year, a development that the school and city officials think might ease some old tensions.
In the past, some of the school’s growth has caused mixed feelings in the community.
Burke Olsen, director of university communications, says SVU’s presence has benefited the greater Buena Vista community. He said the university infuses more than $17 million into the community each year by employing its citizens and bringing in more people to buy Buena Vista goods.
Buena Vista Economic Development Director Tim Reamer said the university has led not only to population growth, but to more economic opportunities for citizens.
But, Reamer said, change doesn’t always come easily.
“It [the university] represents change for the community, and sometimes it’s something that is struggled with by citizens,” Reamer said.
SVU’s 10-year master plan, released last year, calls for raising enrollment from 700 to around 1,000. Since the school’s arrival in 2001 and with its subsequent growth, sticking points for city residents have included SVU’s use of the public high school’s athletic fields as practice fields, as well as water lines installed by the city for the university at no cost to SVU.
“Buildings are fine,” Buena Vista resident Ralph Hamilton said. “But to be a good neighbor they need to stop using Buena Vista [athletic] fields…. It puts public school students at bay.”
Hamilton said the university should reimburse the city for the lines and pay for the additional costs, such as sewer costs, that fall to the city.
“They should be a paying school instead of a draining school,” Hamilton said. “We welcomed them with open arms…. You’re supposed to give back.”
Olsen believes that negative opinions about the relationship between the university and the city are uncommon. But he said that in any case, some of residents’ enduring concerns are soon to be addressed. He said new practice fields for SVU’s athletic teams will be ready on campus later this year. The teams will then practice on campus rather than on public school grounds.
Olsen also said the new water lines benefit not only the university, but Buena Vista residents and a new church built by the Church of Latter-day Saints, “blending private and public interests in a beneficial way.” Olsen said that because of the new water lines, the city is now able to take its water tower offline to do maintenance and still serve the community.
The new building, set to open Feb. 1, will be home to the church’s largest institute of religion in the Eastern United States. Although the church building is not part of the university, many students at SVU will go to worship services and take optional religion classes in the building.
Two-year Buena Vista resident Holly Snyder said she sees no problem with the university. In her opinion, the students are well-behaved, bring money in to the city, and provide jobs to Buena Vista’s citizens.
“I feel that this community needs the school because it brings businesses,” Snyder said. “The perfect way to do that is to bring a college full of students here.”
SVU is also looking to expand its schedule as well as growing physically. Because of the success of summer terms in May and June, SVU plans to extend the academic calendar by adding a new August term to provide students with an opportunity to graduate faster to pursue either a career or graduate school.
“Lower tuition is an incentive to take classes over the summer,” Olsen said. “It also helps out students who are here over the summer and want more credits.”
Produced by
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