By Kirstie Runion
Bluffton University student

A jogger with an iPod or a family walking a dog may be regularly seen in Bluffton-not "college students walking back to campus drunk after hitting the bars."

I would know. I am a senior at Bluffton University and have called it home for three years now. Majoring in English and Writing, it was hard for me to read such a biased story in Friday's Lima News.

The words and assumptions that were published in the article about a Bluffton student assault were hurtful to the university and community.

The article veered off subject of the title story and took jabs at the police department, mayor, university faculty and students.

Many of my peers and I were outraged by such assumptions, so I find it necessary to set the facts straight. Whether the article's details about the incident are reliable or not is not the purpose of this article, rather I would like to clarify the regular scenes in Bluffton and identify the students as the prestigious young people they are rather than drunks.

In actuality, there is only one bar in Bluffton. Luke's Bar and Grill has been open since 2005. Every Wednesday night during the school year the bar offers college night specials and karaoke. This is a nice hump-day treat for all students who would like to take a break and enjoy themselves.

After a Wednesday or Saturday night at Luke's, most students walk home, since it is unsafe to drink and drive. Most students are quiet and well behaved. Most students are not involved in the altercations described in the original article. Most students should not be categorized as such.

"I have been here for 23 years and this is the first time I remember there being a physical altercation," Chief of Police, Rick Skilliter, says.

Although unable to offer exact statistics at the time, he estimated there were less than 10 open container violations since he has been in Bluffton as well. "Many cases when students are walking in a group do not call for an officer to interfere...to tell them to cease and desist."

Chief Skilliter went on to say the police department does a fine job of patrolling the entire community for wherever issues arise. As a resident, I agree.

The altercation that occurred on March 1 is unfortunate, but it is not the norm. The students who attend Bluffton University now are not the same ones who attended 20 years ago, or even six years ago, when the Bluffton resident in the Lima News article claims he stopped reporting the problems to Eric Fulcomer, the Dean of students.

As a student, no one asked me, nor did I get permission to write this article. I cannot speak for the students or incidents of the past but I can speak on behalf of my peers who are responsible students who love their community and neighbors.

One incident should not define a community, university, or student body as it was presented as such in the article. This positive, accurate depiction of Bluffton deserves just as much attention as the last article received.