Reading Place Final Essay

Westfield: Business like suburban campus

          Of all of the campuses that I have visited or have viewed in some other way, I have always found Westfield State University to be very unique.  As I can see, all of the buildings are built from brick. This is different while looking at other campuses, as most are made from cement or some other type of building material. I have wondered if the values of the school are for the purpose of giving the college a more sophisticated look of a business. Also the fact that the campus is covered with trees, makes it seems like it belongs in a suburb. What could this business suburb campus possible symbolize?
       Many may wonder what makes this campus so different from others. First off, it is much smaller than many colleges. The buildings are very close to each other, making it a small time interval to travel from class to class. This is also the green, which simply goes from one end of the campus to the other. With the use of bricks and the campus being so small, it can show how the campus can be seen as a business. 

Many may wonder why the bricks can make the campus seem like a business but in a suburban setting. Well first off, what about the use of bricks gives the campus that type of setting. The number one reason why bricks are used is because they last the longest and are the most efficient. Bricks are very sustainable when building too. So it isn't necessarily seeing the bricks that make the campus a business but the characteristics of the bricks. Anyone who runs a business wants it to be long term and efficient, just like how bricks are that efficient too. The bricks also give the campus that nice feeling to it because the do look better than the cement buildings and with the peaceful campus, Westfield State is turned into a business like suburban area. The bricks symbolize how the students are more focused on earning there degree (college experience can be seen as a business set up), but the suburban setting throws it off, as you would expect any non city like place to be less formal.   The use of the bricks with the suburban setting can be supported by many sources, but it is what the students believe as well. Do the students like the use of bricks because they feel like they are in a business setting just trying to get there degree and be successful and is the suburban set up of the campus made for a certain purpose so students can enjoy themselves more? I do agree with this, as James Kunstler, William Whyte and the UCLA students make good points in there essays that apply to the campus.

In the article Eden Updated, James Kunstler talks about how things are set up in a certain way to give people what they want. This can apply to the Westfield State Campus, as it gives every student a good feeling because it is so beautiful. Kunstler says, “The new nation would become this fabled land of peace and plenty” (42). This quote can apply to the campus because many students do see Westfield State as their Arcadia. They are paying money to get their degree, so they hope to have a nice campus, as we think we deserve it. This all comes back to the business like suburban campus, as we feel like we are in a business setting (spending all this money), but the campus is set up with the trees and walk ways to give a nice look it too.

Also mentioned in the Kunstler article “Eden Undated,” he says, “The lazily curved streets were lined with these trees” (49). This quote is exactly what the campus looks like. The streets that are running throughout the campus are curved and trees are all along them. This gives our campus more of a suburban look than a campus that you might see in the city. This applies to how the campus is suburban and business like because it gives a nice view, along with the brick buildings being up to date but not being in a city like area. That they campus is so well taken care of, anyone can see how nice of a place it is too live. The students attitude towards it is expressed on how well we use the campus and take care of it, showing the sophisticated side that we have to us as well, not only the campus. As Kunstler says, “a place worth caring about” (50).

A movie that also mentions on how to create an outdoor social place is, “The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces by, William Whyte. This applies to Westfield State campus, because that exactly what it is. Students love the view that they see when they are on the campus green, as it reflects everything that this campus stands for.  Whyte says, that people don't not gather in the middle of spaces but on the edges of places. This idea fits perfectly with the campus, as more of the sitting places are around the building and dorms that are on the outside edge of campus. There are actually no sitting places on the green at all, unless you sit down on the grass itself or pull a chair over. This shows how this campus is set up in a suburban way, as more students are likely to sit close to the buildings. This would be frequently seen more in a suburban area than a city, which is mostly filled, will tall buildings and less places to sit. Even though there are no specific places to gather, the students here still find places to social interact with each other.

It is also said to believe that kids who attend college are simply here for their degree and do not care if that actually learn anything in their classes at all. Every student knows that a passing grade will get them a degree for them to be successful in the end. This is where the use of bricks on the building comes into play.  In the article, “ Ask not what you can do for your University, but what your University can do for you,” by the UCLA students, they express how students attitude have changed over time, as all we want to do is earn our degree than actually learn something. This can be expressed through the use of bricks on the buildings. That all buildings on campus are made from brick and nothing else, it give a business like sophisticated look to the school. Also the characteristics of the bricks reflect a business, as both are there for long term use and hope to be profitable.  They way that the building are also set up gives the campus a more business feel to it than a place to learn. When business is said it means that we spend thousands of dollars to get a degree but hoping that degree in the end will make us a profit. The UCLA students said, “Undergraduates invest tuition money to attend classes, and in turn, expect to receive a degree that will then precipitate a financially successful career” (293). This can apply to our campus because they way that it is set up compared to other campuses. For example UMASS Dartmouth buildings are all made from cement and are big blocks. The campus here at Westfield has unique building that are all set up differently than each other, other than the fact that they are all made out of brick. 

The use of brick gives the business like feel to our campus but it also makes it a suburban campus too. In a city you would find the building to be much taller and made from cement, giving it that city like feeling. But here on our campus you can still feel professional but in a suburban setting. For example, in the library there are now cubicles that you would also be used in many office buildings.  As the students here can see the campus as a purchase, the UCLA students say, “The University functions as a business with monetary considerations. ( 293). This applies to the campus in many ways as the campus set up is very easy for students to come and go as they please while attending class, giving them the opportunity to learn if they wish too. This shows the whole idea of the campus becoming a business because the students are more focused on earning these degree  by spending money to be successful, just like a business does. For a business to become successful, first they must spend money and in turn hope to make a profit from it. 

In the end, the campus here at Westfield State is very nice. As many believe students attend campus to better themselves in education, but depending on how a campus is set up, might be otherwise. Even though the campus is a very classy business environment like suburban areas, it can still distract many. I have wondered if the values of the school are for the purpose of giving the college a more sophisticated look of a business. Also the fact that the campus is covered with trees, makes it seems like it belongs in a suburb. The business like suburban campus symbolizes how serious people are about being successful in college so they can be successful after they have graduated too.  This can show the university values because the school just wants best for it students. 

          Works Cited

Kunstler, James. "Eden Updated" Geography of Nowhere. 1994. New York: Simon and Schuster. 39-57

Social Life of mall Urban Places. Dir. William Whyte. Municipal Museum of New York.   

1988

UCLA Students. “ Ask Not What You Can Do For Your University But What Your 

University Can Do For You.” Other Words. David Fleming. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt. 2009. 293-296. Print.

      

Ask Not....

          

"Ask not what you can do for your university but what your university can do for you"

               In the essay “ Ask not what you can do for your university, but what your university can do for you,” by the UCLA Student Webzine, it is strongly expressed that colleges have adopted business like qualities. As students no longer feel the need to appreciate what they are learning but instead simply want the passing grade which will get them their degree. As this quote “ Undergraduates invest tuition money to attend classes, and in turn, expect to receive a degree that will then precipitate a financially successful career,” is said in the essay, its does reflect the business like structure of the Westfield State campus. 
               Throughout the five classes that I take per semester, I can easily see how the students are more focused on receiving a good grade than actually learning. How the lecture halls are set up, one door in the front and a door at the top row of seats, it makes it very easy for students to come and go as they please, which is expressed in the essay. Also in a couple of the regular class rooms there are two doors which also make it easier fro students to leave before the class has ended. This demonstrates that students are more interested in receiving a passing grade than learning something. 

The UCLA Student webzine also says, “ Students memorize necessary class information the night before an exam and then this knowledge fades away soon after.”  I’ve just witnessed this past week in my math class as many of the students forgot the material that we just has on a exam, as we learned knew information that was very similar to it. The shows how the students are more focused earning a degree than actually learning from it, which demonstrates why it has turned into a business, spending money but making a profit in the end. 

Every time that I go home, my papa always ask me if I’m learning something, as he knows how students attitudes have changed since he went to college. The campus here is set with business features as the newer buildings are taller with more windows, looking more like a business company than an actually dorm room, which can be very distracting if you are trying to learn. Which is now most important to students is making money after they receive there degree, and it does not matter if they learn anything because all students want is to be rich and successful. 

Life In The Dorms Pictures

Life In The Dorms 

Interesting photos to Analyze

Eden Updated

Now a day’s everything is based off of technology and the materialistic things that people feel they need so badly. In the Essay “Eden Updated”, James Kunstler describes how these “fake” things that are being constructed disrupts the uniqueness of nature. Peoples desire for these things cause a upset in what is considered normal. A space that was once a forest and now a outside shopping outlet, was constructed in my town of Wareham. Not because they thought it would help Wareham but because the people needed the stores to be around them. This could be considered the Arcadia of my town because it is seen as a great place.

Wareham crossing was designed for a new place for the residents to go shopping. You can only enter the Plaza by going to the right. Just as Gladwell said that this usually happens, it occurs at the crossing too. By only being able to enter at the right, it forces you to view all of the stores on both sides. Seeing on of your favorite stores will want you to go there and shop. The road is also curved and tress are planted every so often along the way, as you can see in the pictures. Kunstler says “The lazily curved streets were lined with these trees.” This quote gives a clear picture of what the crossing is like. The curve road is a never ending black whole making the crossing seem so much bigger. 

Also shown in the pictures you can see how the parking lot is a lot bigger than it needs to be. Even during the busiest time of the year, which is Christmas there are still a tone of left over parking spaces. There is also a lot of empty building that have no desire to be filled. When it comes down to it, it makes no sense because it’s what the people wanted. As Kunstler mentioned in his video that the Wareham crossing would be considered abandoned because there are so many empty building, he also goes on in “Eden Updated,” to say, “land developers came along and gobbled up the surrounding countryside, they destroyed the rural setting that had provided all the charm.” This quote can easily describe Wareham crossing because it once was a forest and is now left to an empty parking lot. The useless parking lot is a desert in a way, as no one finds a use for it.

“Policing the evolving pattern of development to make sure that is remained wild, irregular, playful and spontaneous,” as Kunstler says, perfectly describes the set up the stores at Wareham crossing. At one end of the crossing you would find all of the restaurants and at the other end, there are the clothing stores. This leaves all of the other stores to be in between. This forces you to see what other stores are at the crossing.  This set up will pull people in to the stores to see what the latest items are. The chain of stores is a link making each separate one connected to each other. 

With all of Kunstler’s ideas being known through is article “Eden Updated,” this demonstrates how badly people want materialistic things. These things are created for one reason only, and that is for industrial purpose for a better economy while destroying the beauty of Mother Nature. We have come from a society that continues to grow and destroy nature as we technology become more advanced. As of right now we are in a place where materialistic things are the only thing that matter, and this leaves us to only wanted better things in life as the retail spaces become older and older.