Why All Campuses Need Public Places

By CARLA YANNI

Universities require communal spaces that encourage people to spend time together. Otherwise academic life devolves into disparate, meaningless episodes — a lecture, a walk from class to class, a retreat into dorm or car. Public spaces encourage faculty and staff members and students to fully participate in the university. In addition to inviting undergraduates to public lectures and including them in research projects, another effective way to connect faculty members and students would be to make the physical environment more conducive to informal gathering. Loitering should be encouraged. Lingering should be a positive value.