The rivalry between academic institutions and the cities they are located in, known as “city and dress,” has existed since the formation of universities. The term dates back to the 19th century when university students wore distinctive dress. Conflicts arise due to differing priorities and goals, such as expansion and housing facilities. Some universities combat this by encouraging student involvement in local causes and soliciting public opinion on expansions.
The rivalry between city and dress is a situation where an academic institution has an acrimonious relationship with the city that surrounds it. Rivalries between cities and dress have existed since formal institutions of higher learning were formed and remain a very serious problem in some communities. Many universities and university towns have recognized that relations between academics and ordinary citizens are sometimes strained and have worked together to reduce the amount of rivalry between towns and dress in their communities.
The term “city and dress” dates back to the 19th century. In England and many parts of Europe, university students traditionally wore distinctive dress during their study periods, making them very visible figures in the cities in which they lived. People started using “dress” as shorthand to refer to college students and academics by extension, and “town and dress” wasn’t far behind. The dress itself was often a source of bitterness, as academic gowns were clearly impractical for manual labor, and many people in the lower classes saw them as elitist symbols.
Academic institutions and cities often have very different priorities and goals, although they can be mutually beneficial. Individual citizens may resent the presence of a college or university, dismissing students as elitists and disliking the amount of power the institution wields in the city. For example, many universities are very aggressive in expanding their campuses and housing facilities, and this sometimes causes conflicts when the university occupies a beloved area of the city or develops without considering citizen input. Residents may also resent the congestion in the city during the school year and the inability to find local restaurants, shops and pubs that haven’t been overrun by college students.
Universities are sometimes very frustrated with local government and the citizens of the towns and cities in which they are based. College towns often develop a very high cost of living, and some cities try to combat this by requiring affordable housing and taking other measures to ensure that citizens can continue to live in the city. Things like growth restrictions and salary mandates can be a source of resentment for a university.
One of the most infamous cases of a rivalry between towns and dresses arose around Oxford University in 1355, when a tavern argument on St. Scholastica turned into a two-day rampage. While tensions between students and “city dwellers,” as the residents of college towns are often called, have rarely become so bitter in the modern era, rivalries between cities and dress can still be problematic. Some colleges have tried to combat this by encouraging students to get involved with local causes and organizations and by actively soliciting public opinion on proposed expansions.
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