Seventy percent of Albright students reside on campus. The remainder live off campus, either at home with parents/guardians or in an off-campus residence in the city of Reading.

According to Bob Gerken, director of Albright’s public safety department, while most students are good neighbors, the College sometimes receives calls and complaints from city neighbors concerning noise and improper behavior by Albright students.

Albright has partnered with city officials to form College & Community Neighbors Together (CCNT), a group focused on addressing these issues.

“Several years ago, while attending a conference, I learned of other colleges who were experiencing similar problems,” Gerken said. “Two of these schools were Villanova and Bloomsburg. As a result, the colleges joined with the city or township and formed groups to address these problems.

We are following some of their procedures in an effort to resolve some of our problems.”

Educating students as to the consequences of their actions and encouraging them to be more responsible and hold their guests accountable for their actions are among the first steps to be taken by CCNT.

CCNT consists of students, faculty, staff, administrators, city officials and neighbors.

The Rev. Dr. Paul D. Gehris ’56 will be presented with the Jacob Albright Award during Reunion Weekend festivities in May.

The Jacob Albright Award, the College’s most prestigious honor, is presented to an alumnus/a who has used the liberal arts education to his or her greatest potential, making outstanding contributions to the Albright College community, to his or her profession and in service to society.

Gehris served as director of social ministry for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches from 1972 until his retirement. He is respected nationwide as a leading expert in the field of church-state relationships and is the author of two books, Using the Bible in Groups and The Teaching Church Active in Mission, published by Judson Press in 1973 and 1987, respectively.

Having served as a legislative liaison with the Pennsylvania General Assembly for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, representing three-and-a half million constituents and 20 denominations, Gehris has helped to pass legislation regarding child abuse, divorce reform and migrant worker justice. He also coordinated IMPACT, a network of approximately 800 Pennsylvanians committed to work for justice in public policy.

An active volunteer at Albright, Gehris has served on the Alumni Association Board, the National
Advisory Council and the Commission on the Future. He was presented with an Alumni Citation Award in 1982.

He received his bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration from Albright and went on to earn his master of divinity degree from Eastern Baptist Seminary. He was ordained in
May 1959 in the American Baptist Churches, U.S.A.

One hundred graduates received diplomas at Albright’s Commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 10, 2005. Two graduates received master’s degrees in education, 80 graduated from the College’s Accelerated Degree Completion Program, and 18 were from the College’s traditional degree program.

Karen Stout, Ph.D., president of Montgomery County Community College delivered the keynote address.