At last week's Lincoln University Opening Convocation, Interim President Mike Middleton stressed "unity" as an important goal within the university.
A little perspective might give clues as to Middleton's priority of unity.
Two years ago, the University of Missouri-Columbia's unity became fractured after several high-profile, racially charged incidents that put MU in the national news. MU graduate student Jonathan Butler started a hunger strike, and the football team threatened a boycott until then-University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe was gone.
Wolfe resigned, and Middleton took his place on an interim basis. After helping to calm the waters at the University of Missouri-Columbia, he retired and later came to LU.
But the incidents caused deep fractures and precipitated a drop in enrollment. MU's healing has begun, but it's an ongoing process.
Striving for unity is always a good goal.
At Lincoln University, we haven't seen the racial strife - or the kind of disconnect in general - that's we've seen at MU. That wasn't true in the late 1960s at LU, when civil rights protests sometimes became destructive.
Now, the biggest disconnect might be between the students who live on campus and the commuter students, the latter of whom include both traditional and non-traditional students. Many go to class and go home and don't participate in as many campus activities.
That might be an element of unity that Middleton believes could be improved upon.
There's another lack of unity that's been talked about for decades: A lack of unity between the university and the community. It's nothing acrimonious. It's more like both groups being in their own world, almost oblivious to each other.
Big steps have been made recently that could result in better integration between the campus and community. Joint projects between LU and the city's parks department have resulted in The Linc multipurpose building, the renovation of tennis courts at the intersection of Lafayette and Dunklin streets, and the relocation of the Boys & Girls Club to the LU campus.
There's also an upcoming opportunity for city residents to embrace their local university: LU's homecoming. It starts next week, and some events, including a parade, should appeal to everyone. In addition, the LU President's Residence, 601 Jackson St., will be open from 1-5 p.m. Sunday during the Golden Hammer Award Homes Tour.
Tickets are required for the tour. However - in the spirit of unity - those wishing to only tour the President's Residence will not need a ticket.
News Tribune