Finding a way to coexist in Amherst

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) - How can college students and long-time residents co-exist in Amherst? That's what people in Amherst are trying to figure out after a string of incidents involving loud parties and vandalisms.

Throwing a bottle at a police officer... That was one of the most recent incidents involving University of Massachusetts Amherst students and a large, loud party, and many neighbors say they are fed up.

Diane Stein of Amherst told 22News it’s been an ongoing issue for many residents.

She said, “Several years ago I needed an ambulance, but they were all tied up with students who were drunk or overdosed on drugs.”

UMass Amherst students can be accountable for what they do on or off campus. The Code of Student Conduct states that they can be disciplined for any incidents that happen on campus or anywhere near the four area colleges that are part of the Five College Consortium.

In fact a new Dean of Students Office report found that more than 600 students were arrested or cited last year for underage drinking or littering.

At Tuesday's community forum, neighbors said they want UMass police to team up with counselors and Amherst Police and patrol the neighborhoods more often and host more events that will build a better relationships between the students and the neighbors.

Daisy Broudy of Amherst said “Then there'd be a sort of a reluctance to start harming the people that you know. Just in the way that if you have your cousins living next door, you'd probably go have a blast some place else, not next to your cousins.”

Nick Strezynski, a junior at UMass Amherst, said “Any college town where there are over 25,000 college kids, I think there will be same problems. People definitely grow up as they are getting older. Even sophomores, I think with a year under your belt, you learn what you can do what you can't do.”