Students are a force for good

THIS week the student population becomes visible on our York streets once more. Many local people look forward to their return - not least the taxi-drivers, the club-owners and the landlords. Others are more ambivalent.

I would argue strongly that students bring to the city of York at least three benefits. First, they introduce dialogue and debate; second they represent diversity; and third, put simply, they bring or create "dosh".

In other words they complement the traditions and historical strengths of a city that is to be their home for three to four years or more. And they also start to bring the possibility of challenge and change which helps to set those very strengths in a contemporary context.

There are nearly 6,000 students at York St John College, and if we add to these the 8,000 at the University of York, 13,000 at York College, and 4,000-plus at Askham Bryan, this makes for a substantial cohort of young and enthusiastic talent that can contribute to the well-being of the city both during their student years and, for many of them, as part of their future careers.

This brings vibrancy, talent and resourcefulness - and, of course, many of them are newcomers. Significantly, a large number of York St John students arrive from without the city walls. They bring with them the potential and the passion to help shape a city that aspires to be Without Walls... but this is not always a trouble-free process.

A dramatic contribution to dialogue and debate was made by all of the city's students during the recent protest against war with Iraq. Students stood alongside those in the city seeking to "stop the war". Some also took to the streets to "defend our troops".

Importantly, they were able to contribute a presence on both sides regarding this pivotal public issue.

At a more parochial level, over the past academic year, York St John students initiated a popular campaign to improve community relations in the shape of the SSHH Campaign. Responding to a charge of "offences against decent folk" in the form of unacceptable noise and disturbance, the student body did not wait for college management to respond but took the lead on consulting with neighbours and creatively "policing" their own members.

According to resident representatives from the Groves, this has had an immediate effect.

So, what we see in the student population of York is an energy and a clear sense of purpose and responsibility for getting things done. This is nowhere more evident than in their willingness both to express and promote a sense of diversity within the city.

Clearly York students represent a wide range of backgrounds and their ethnic and/or cultural mix is significantly wider than that of the local population. International students and culturally diverse British students bring to the city traditions and creativity that we celebrate.

A recent world premiere cultural event at the National Centre for Early Music introduced an internationally-renowned guitarist from Japan to the people of York. This allowed insights into Japanese musical and poetic tradition, an experience much acclaimed both by our city audience and visitors from the Japanese Embassy.

A project with St Denys' Church witnessed students evoking the Christian and cultural history of Walmgate to dramatic effect through a series of paintings. And in the Slug and Lettuce, imaginative "takes" on bar culture have been depicted by Fine Art students with breathtaking innovation.

Many, many more examples of cultural contribution and diversity have been recorded in the pages of the Evening Press.

Finally, I make the claim that students bring "dosh" - and that they also volunteer. The combined spending power of our students is considerable, notwithstanding the appalling pressures on the modern student purse.

And the range of voluntary activity from rag weeks to projects such as Millennium Volunteers is significant, despite the pressure on students simply to make money in order to make ends meet.

It is also self-evident that students do pay their way and they do support local businesses; in the local economy they represent a young and flexible part-time workforce as seen in pubs, clubs and a wide range of settings; and most importantly they contribute by adding to the skills of the future workforce.

As I have suggested elsewhere, students make excellent ambassadors for the city in the (wide) world outside of York - and they add an important dimension to our heritage and tourism business.

In my day-to-day engagements, I tend to meet an impressive range of York St John alumni in the city, often in unexpected places. For example, one of the new entrepreneurs in Gillygate graduated in the college; an administrator in the office of the Dean of the Minster heralds from York St John as does the marketing manager at York Museums Trust; a headteacher of one of our leading secondary schools is a former "Johnsman", and so is our own Lord Mayor, Councillor Charles Hall.

These are, indeed, worthy examples of student success!

So, do students make a positive difference for York? I would argue "yes". While I am not unaware that the present re-entry of the student population after the summer break can create shock and tension, I would suggest that these are more than balanced by their substantial contribution to wealth and well-being.

They just make the place feel more alive. Ultimately, the capacity of the people of York to engage in productive dialogue and debate with its young and not so young students will be a key test of our ability to mobilise and modernise as a 21st century city.

Professor Dianne Willcocks is principal of York St John College

Updated: 13:10 Tuesday, September 30, 2003