Holy Cross College

November 16, 2010

Dear City Councilors,

On behalf of the entire Holy Cross Community of faculty, staff, and students, I thank you for recognizing the progress made over the past year in improving communication and addressing neighborhood concerns about the off-campus behavior of some Holy Cross students.

I want to assure you that concerns have been heard and the College takes them very seriously. There have been some setbacks, but we are addressing them with both immediate actions and sustainable change.

In cooperation with Worcester Police, the College has already taken steps to control student behavior in the neighborhood and we have begun work on a more comprehensive plan to advance relationships of consistent and mutual respect in the College Hill neighborhood. We remain committed to following up on every incident of off-campus misbehavior and applying appropriate sanctions.

Our goal is to implement additional practical and enforceable changes to how we respond to behavior that disrupts the College Hill neighborhood.

While these changes will take some time to develop and implement, we look forward to sharing the results of our collective efforts with you.

As President of the College of the Holy Cross, I take responsibility for and will lead these efforts; but the enforceablility and good working relationships required for real progress is dependent on the continued involvement of the reliable and accountable expertise of leaders throughout the College. To that end, I am joined by Timothy R. Austin, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean; Michael Lochhead, Vice President for Administration and Finance; Jacqueline D. Peterson, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students; Paul Irish, Assistant to the Dean of Students and Director of the Office of Student Conduct; Robert Hart, Director of Public Safety; Ketherine Robertson, Special Assistant for Community Relations; and others throughout my administration.

The success of this effort relies on the College, City officials, Worcester Police, neighbors and students working together in mutually respectful and collaborative ways. We have indeed made progress in addresssing quality-of-life issues for our closest neighbors, and we look forward to building on what has been accomplished.

Very truly yours,

Michael C. McFarland, S.J.
President [College of the Holy Cross]

Dear Ms. Tirella,

…

I agree with you wholeheartedly that the off-campus behavior of Holy Cross students can get out of control. It saddens me to hear about these things, especially the violence towards police officers and the disturbing of families, as it surely does to most members of the Holy Cross community. This is an issue that needs to be addressed by the college and stricter enforcement is needed.

Where this gets tricky, however, is that oftentimes these parties and gatherings are not done on Holy Cross property. Thus, they are out of the jurisdiction of the college. To solve this, there needs to be a cooperative relationship between the college, the community, and the government of Worcester. Insulting each other, claiming the other as incompetent, and other such negative behavior only lead to more resentment. Click to continue »

editor’s note: This letter (below), signed by the Worcester City Council, will most likely be discussed tonight at Worcester’s City Council meeting (7 p.m., Channel 12 on your TV, if you don’t want to make the trek to City Hall). It was mailed to Father McFarland, president of Holy Cross college, November 15, 2010.

Hooray!!!

The Letter:

Rev. Michael McFarland
President, College of the Holy Cross
One College Street
Worcester, MA 01610

Dear Father McFarland:

We, the members of the Worcester City Council, are frustrated and disappointed by the repeated examples of poor behavior by some students who attend the College of the Holy Cross. We write this letter to you to reinforce our support for City Manager O’Brien’s efforts to engage you personally and ask for your leadership to change the long-standing culture of disrespecting the neighborhoods of Mount Saint James. Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

A month or so ago, before all the hoopla at Holy Cross, I met with a South Worcester community leader. He has worked in South Worcester for gosh, I would say, more than two decades – and he has known the good people of South Worcester and the players of Holy Cross for just as long. He told me he sees Holy Cross in a sunnier light than I do (note: this man does NOT live in Worcester – he WORKS in South Worcester)

This South Worcester community leader said up until eight or nine years ago, the College of the Holy Cross didn’t know Cambridge Street or Hacker Street existed – the college was a world unto itself, sealed off from the gritty environs at its gates. Then HC President Father Brooks – a nice  guy according to my mom who “waited on” him years ago as a counter girl at Osacar’s Cleaners  – did zippo for the South Worcester neighborhood. Years and years went by with nothing from “The Cross.” The blue collar folks of South Worcester worked their blue collar jobs, lived in their three deckers, lost jobs, retired, had kids and grand kids, and not one of them had ever had any kind of interaction with Holy Cross, the institution. Yet Holy Cross college dominated the politics of this city – whether  grooming future Wormtown political leaders or in the 1950s getting the state to build the new highway, Interstate 290, around its football stadium, rather than through it – as the state did when it came to nearby Green Island (basically bisecting the poor neighborhood with the new multi-lane highway).

Except for the HC students who boozed it up all the time and raised hell in South Worcester, no ”ordinary” person had any dealilngs with the Cross. When I first began my paper, InCity Times, I got an earful of those dealings. One of the first ”issues” people in the ‘hood carped about was the party-hearty Holy Cross students who had been, for generations, wreaking boozy havoc in their neighborhood. One man, who had lived near Holy Cross for years, told me he sold his house years ago in disgust and moved to Auburn. He said he was sick of eating breakfast with his wife and seeing Holy Cross kids use his front yard as a short cut to class. Every morning. Plus: the noise, the beer, the disrespect during party nights - it was just too much for him. He and his wife left the city they loved.

One woman wrote me and told me of a Holy Cross couple who were actually coupling in the hallway of the apartment building where she lived – and where she was trying to raise her daughter. Yes, hallway sex, that’s a way to ingratiate yourself with people who are annoyed by you.

InCity Times reported these headaches, began clamoring for a PILOT program and things changed … .

According to this South Worcester leader, Holy Cross began to step up and do the right thing – in teeny ways. He told me of the students’ South Worcester internships and marketing studies, etc. Still, all of this paled to what Clark University has done for Worcester over the years – or even the Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences recently.

But this guy is an optomist. His latest idea, re: the neighborhoods and HC: Get Holy Cross to fund a branch library in South Worcester or Green Island. (All of Worcester’s were closed – except two – years ago) Take the big, freshly painted room in the South Worcester Neighborhood Center and fill it with books, chairs, tables and some older computers and/or laptops. 

I thought this was a great idea – and certainly affordable for HC. The same can be down in the Green Island Neighborhood Center at Crompton Park, I said. They have the space.

So why not, Father McFarland, take lemons and make some lemonade for HC and Worcester – specifiacally the poor neighborhood in which Holy Cross collge is located? My South Worcester friend said kids from Hacker Street or Cambridge Street don’t go to the main library on Salem Square – it’s just not part of their world. (Years ago their was a great city branch library on Southbridge Street – now the big building, across from Wendies, is a condo complex) So let’s have the Holy Cross/Caro Street Kids, put the beer bottles down, and start creating something special for South Worcester kids – a couple of branch libraries.

InCity Times/our volunteers will be glad to help. We can work on getting books, that’s for sure, thanks to Worcester School Committee member John Monfredo. Holy Cross will have to come up with the computers and laptops – and maybe some kids to man it during the hours its open. The branch libraries will be in rooms in the neighborhood centers, so the HC students will never be alone.

After we talked – this South Worcester booster and Holy Cross believer – well, his eyes widened, he seemed pumped. Even I grew hopeful.

For a few seconds.

By Rosalie Tirella

We have never been a huge fan of Worcester City Councilor at Large Ric Rushton, but we’ve always liked the way he puts things. From “exploding heads” to imploding downtowns, Ric never fails to amuse/bemuse when it comes to syntax, American history, etc. Last night was no different! During yet another heated City Council debate re: the boozers/students of Holy Cross College and their inability to respect the blue collar neighborghood in which their school is located, Rushton threw this line out to his fellow councilors: “A hundred fannies in the cell.”

A HUNDRED FANNIES IN THE CELL! A HUNDRED FANNIES IN THE CELL!

Right on, Ric! This must be Worcester’s new rallying cry!

This is what all Worcersterites must think when it comes to boozing Holy Cross students! This is what we must all say and do to the Holy Cross alcoholics/play boys/play girls who recently held a big kegger on Caro Street, which culminated in their PAINTING it! Painting it!!! City Councilors were given photos and they were all dismayed/enraged.

What is it with Holy Cross? I can drive down Dewey Street, Florence Street, Claremont Street, alll sorts of Main South/Park Ave streets where Clark University students live – and you never see these problems. The streets are busy, people go about their business. The Clarkies blend in – go about their lives: being students, eating in the nearby restaurants or coffee shops. They are hip and cool, these Clark kids. They respect the people of Main South – the urban village in which they live 3/4 of the year. Maybe it’s because lots of them come from New York City and are just hip to the street scene.

Holy Cross slobs, on the other hand, come from the suburbs of Jersey, Pennsyvania and Connecticut. Daddy and Mom have spoiled them – left them more immature than the little kids who attend the nearby Quinsig Community School – and have probably taught them that it’s OK to unwind with booze after work/school. I mean what else is there to do in the suburbs of New Jersey except drink martinis and cheat on your wife with the hottie two streets down?

So when Holy Cross students get to Worcester, they have no idea how to relax after school work. So it’s: Let’s trash this ugly city! Let’s paint these losers’ streets! They look funny! They wear polyester! They are not what we see in our hometowns!

We’ve fuckin’ had it, too, Ric! We are on your side – for once! For once we feel you, as you would say, have nailed the head on this hammer!

Yes! Let the WPD hammer some of these kids! Oak Hill residents get hammered by thugs (see our cover story in this week’s ICT)! Let HC students get to know the REAL Worcester!

Rushton intimated that an arrest by Worcester Police, a very bumpy ride in one of Wormtown’s paddy wagons and a night in jail would make the party-hearty students of Holy Cross stop breaking the law, stop making noise at all hours on Caro Street, stop pissing in public, stop having parties that spill out into the street and keep Worcesterites up all hours of the night, stop have sex in hallways of local apartment buildings (ICT got a letter re: that little nugget a few years ago). The kids, if Ric’s advice is to be followed, would have “a record.” Their moms and dads would have to go to court and hire lawyers. These families, Rushton said, need a “crisis” in thier kiddies’ lives before they take Worceter seriously.

City Councilor Phil Palmeiri was also incensed, telling his colleagues that Worcester has not received “blessings” from HC president Father McFarland, that the head honcho/Jesuit has always dismissed Worcesterites’ complaints re: the trashing of Caro Street and other off-campus hell-holes. He said the “coddling” must stop.

100 Fannies in the cell, Phil! 100 Fannies in the cell! This is our call to arms!!!

That must be our rallying cry, if anything is going to improve in Worcester’s south end neighborhood.

By Rosalie Tirella

The only remaining private colleges in Worcester that refuse to make PILOT payments to the City of Worcester are CATHOLIC colleges! (We can talk about Becker later; their endowment is small and the place still feels like a junior college.)

But “THE CROSS”!? My God! We’re talking Wormtown aristocracy! The one school that every Irish mop top claims as his own? The college that every old school Worcester mover and shaker claims as his alma mater? The place that produced Chris Matthews? The college from which my two cousins graduated – the ones who became doctors and loved to regale us with stories of “THE CROSS.”

Yet this iconic Worcester instution has decided it is OK to take a dump on our poor people – or at least ignore them.

The very opposite of what Catholics are supposed to do. The New Testament is filled with Jesus saying things like: “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me!” Or: “The first shall be last and the last shall be first!”

If Jesus were to come down to Worcester in 2010, he’d probably live in District 4 – some hovel that’s only a five-minute drive away from Holy Cross college. Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

We are never thrilled with District City Councilor Paul Clancy. He didn’t give a hoot for Quinsig Village during the Big Dig (remember the city dump he kept open so Worc. (esp. QVillage) could accept all that waste from Boston?) And he has done little to make the Village beautiful after the 146 Connector project has pretty much stuffed a once cute little blue collar neighborhood with cars, 18-wheelers and thousands of automobiles a day! Thanks for all the pollutants, pollution, asthma, Paul!

And Quinsig Villagers/Worcesterites are still waiting for our freakin’ dog park, which was supposed to be located in the area! A gift from the city for taking all Boston’s garbage and putting up with the 146 Connector.  (Where’s the $$?) Another promise broken by the city.

But I digress … .

At last night’s City Council meeting, Paul Clancy was impressive! He finally called Holy Cross College on its refusal to support the city via  PILOT payments. Click to continue »

By Ron Chiras

Would anyone like to see what is still happening on College Hill, home to Holy Cross College?

Last weekend Boyden and Caro streets were blocked at 1 a.m., Sunday morning (April 24). This week-end is the BIG ONE!!?

Read this alert sent out to residents and join the “Hill” people in trying to figure out what the h— is going on!

Holy Cross Spring Weekend: an annual event that occurs on the Holy Cross campus this first weekend of May. There are activities on campus but, of course, Caro Street is the big attraction.

We suspect, as in the past, many hundreds [of students] will be on Boyden and Caro streets – drinking in overcrowded apartments, cellars, porches and yards – most of them underage with open containers of alcohol. Click to continue »

By Ron Chiras

Promises!!? – [Worcester] Housing Court: orders landlords to reduce numbers in apartments out of code. 10 Boyden by Dec. 31st – students still there. 125 College St. – since 2000 has been breaking the law- no permits to add attic apt. – ordered to reduce numbers – extra students still there. The same at 21, 23, 26 Caro St.- 11 and 13 Boyden. We know this will not stop the unruly parties in apartments and in the streets.

—–Worcester Police – keep their promises – will not arrest students. The poor kids (they are running the show). Keep the same non-working policy of the Holy Cross detail “patrolling” the Hill. BUT, they don’t seem to be working with the Holy Cross campus police, off-campus or responding to the neighborhood’s cry for help. They say students are not breaking the law in the streets, so they can’t arrest them. Can you believe it?

—–Holy Cross – no control of off-campus students – giving the college a very bad rep.
Supposed to enforce on-campus code of conduct, off-campus, (WE were encouraged) HOW? Holy Cross said the Campus police!

Beautify the neighborhood by tearing down houses that have been unoccupied for 10 years, then letting students park cars on that land. What gives? We realize landscaping won’t come till spring. But allowing more party parking!?

SO IT GOES – READ ON!

January 18, 2010 – Holy Cross students start returning to school for Spring semester. Four Holy Cross owned houses have been torn down over the Christmas break to help “beautify” the street. Students begin using the land to park their cars.

January 22, 2010 – Party weekend on Caro St. – as usual. Worcester Police Department and Holy Cross campus police were to work together. No way. WPD seen in cruiser, 20 feet away from unruly students who were shouting, drinking outside in freezing temps after midnight. No action taken. NO campus police seen anywhere off-campus.

January 29, 2010 – “Things” get worse. Reported – party at 3 City View St. – Holy Cross-owned. Saturday into Sunday morn. Noise heard at Kendig and Davenport streets. Also, partying in the street between 125 and 138 College St . Neighbor reports staggering drunks, shouting-swearing by dozens of students going between houses. Sound familiar? WPD seen going by the students two times and they did nothing. This was after midnight in freezing temperatures. No campus police seen anywhere off campus.

WHEN WILL IT END? WE NEED HELP! WHO IS RUNNING THE SHOW?!

By Cheez Wiz

A while ago, I pondered the effectiveness of government led by the forces of Mayor Joe O’Brien-Tim Murray-Jim McGovern and their biggest cheerleader, Jordan Levy. After all, how is this city going to grow when Joe’s “position papers” are basically outlines on how he is going to beg his federal and state connections for federal help? It doesn’t help matters that none of the big three has a private sector background. (Ya see, those panhandlers really do teach us things!)

The new Joe-Jordan-Jim-Tim Alliance relies on federal and state help. What they lack from the get go is a sense of ideas, creativity and business sense as a foundation for job growth. What happened to the ideas first put forth by President Obama – of the “carrot and stick” approach to building business?

What happened to increased use of No Child Left Behind? Why has that program been so watered down to suit the teachers’ unions at the expense of needy, low-income children? Click to continue »