Campus entrance a visible problem
Placed by the Music Studios building, an entrance sign faces west-bound traffic on Mt. Clinton Pike. While one entrance is labeled, two other roads from Mt. Clinton could also serve as an entrance to EMU, as well as could Parkwood Drive.
The inadequacy of signs directing prospective students and visitors to EMU often makes finding the campus difficult for those who are not from the area.
There has been a growing concern that visitors have difficulty finding the main entrance on Mt. Clinton Pike. There are also frequent complaints about the confusing signs that lead to the university.
The Board of Trustees and planning committees are currently looking into the scale of the problem and considering possible solutions.
The main issue is the poor visibility of the signs due to their location and size.
The ambiguity of the main entrance presents the biggest concern to administrative staff. They are considering the option of moving the main entrance to the more "user-friendly" Parkwood Drive location, which was the original site of the sign and main entrance.
"There have been problems with visitors finding the entrance to the campus. We are considering placing the new sign displaying our entrance where the Virginia Avenue comes into Parkwood drive," said President Loren Swartzendruber.
Relocating the main entrance sign, however, would require the approval by the city of Harrison-burg because of local zoning laws. This could be a time-consuming process. The cost of a new sign - or signs - is also a factor involved in the decision. At this point, the exact cost for such a project is still unknown.
Another possible solution is a collective sign that would include EMU and the surrounding Mennonite organizations. According to Communications Professor Richard Benner, "One proposal is a one direction sign at the corner of Route 42 and Mt. Clinton pike."
This proposal comes from the Parkview Mennonite Agency Council (PARMAC), an organization formed to improve shared services within the Mennonite community, including land use, program events, fund drives, and sharing of other resources. A large collective sign could improve visibility and ease of finding the EMU campus.
At this time, no final decisions have been made about solutions to EMU's obscure main entrance.
Return to News
