The cultural differences between the two groups has been a point of contention in the past, with loud parties, littering and alcohol use causing a rift. But in the eyes of Bailey Community Association board member Sally Silver — an East Lansing resident for about 37 years — the relationship between students and residents has improved in recent years.

“I think some of the points of aggravation are declining, and I’d say by and large the relationship is pretty good,” she said.

At least in part, Silver attributed the improved relationship to the work being done by the Community Relations Coalition, a nonprofit organization formed in 1999 to help bridge the gap between the student body and East Lansing residents. It has a core leadership team which is comprised of representatives from the city of East Lansing, the university, city residents and the student body.

“We (also) have student interns that live and work in the neighborhoods and they are able to introduce themselves to the long-term residents and make things easier for some of the new student residents moving in,” Community Relations Coalition City Representative Annette Irwin said.

Because so many students lease housing for only a year, Irwin said one of the struggles in building a strong community bond has been the constant turnover rate of students living in a particular area. She said long-term residents might develop a good relationship with a group of students, only to have them move out after one year.

ASMSU Vice Chairperson of Governmental Affairs Dylan Miller said in an email the student government does what it can to ease the constant transition of new students to the East Lansing neighborhoods.

“It’s challenging, but certainly not impossible,” he said. “One way of thinking about it is that ASMSU represents the student voice but also has the established years of a resident.”

He added ASMSU typically does not receive complaints from students about their neighbors, but East Lansing Mayor Pro Tem Nathan Triplett said concerns from both sides certainly are not unheard of.

Triplett said most complaints from permanent residents stem from noise and litter violations, while students might feel they aren’t receiving the level of respect from long-term residents.

“The one thing I do hear from MSU students is the frustration that permanent residents may not recognize how important MSU is to East Lansing,” he said.

“But I think it’s the opposite. I think many citizens choose to live near campus for the same reasons as the students do; the energy and vitality of the area is appealing.

“The university is a huge asset to East Lansing, and helps define what we are as a community.”