The city of Toledo was recently ranked as the 15th most miserable city in the nation for 2010 by Forbes magazine.
The magazine ranked the cities based on a wide range of criteria including weather, commute times, unemployment and crime rates in their third annual national ranking.
Several other Ohio cities were ranked including Cleveland as the top most miserable city, Akron ranked as 12th and Canton ranked as the ninth most miserable city.
According to Forbes magazines’ Web site, “Cost of living is cheap in Toledo (15 percent below the national average), but that has not kept residents from leaving as there has been a net migration out of the metro area every year over the past two decades.”
University of Toledo President Lloyd Jacobs said Forbes magazine misrepresented Toledo by not considering the city’s spirit.
“This place is not a miserable place. This is a place where we are deeply committed,” Jacobs said. “They didn’t measure our spiritual strength, our commitment to one another, our belief in ourselves [or] the belief in what we are doing at the university and throughout this area, region, and city.”
Maria Rocha, a junior majoring in English, said this ranking is not a reflection of the role UT plays in the community.
“I think that people look at UT separate from Toledo,” Rocha said. “And I don’t think all the students here would agree that Toledo is a miserable city. I love Toledo.”
Rosaline Cordova, a sophomore majoring in psychology, said UT is a community of its own.
“Yes, we are a part of the city of Toledo, but we’re separate as a university,” Cordova said. “We weren’t ranked number 15 on the worst universities list.”
According to Cordova, UT is constantly providing programs to bring students together in a safe and educational environment such as The African Peoples Association’s fashion show and the annual “Lil Sibs Weekend,” which are valued events by students.
While some students feel Toledo isn’t as “miserable” as Forbes magazine has said, other students agree with the ranking.
Sarthak Chahar, a fifth-year student majoring in bio-engineering who grew up in Toledo, said Toledo fits the criteria for a miserable city in several ways.
“I could see why Toledo is on the list,” Chahar said. “I haven’t been to all parts of Toledo, but there are several troubled areas. But when you consider that most students who come to UT are from Ohio, and with Akron, Canton and Cleveland on the list as well, I think students understand that there are struggling cities all over the state and UT still has a lot to offer.”
Chahar said UT is doing its part to act as a positive influence on the community.
“I feel the biggest impact UT has on the community is the individual students who go out in search of ways to help the community,” Chahar said.
“I personally love the art museum in Toledo, and I think that Toledo still has a lot to offer students and community members,” Rocha said. “Since I have been at UT I have been satisfied in every aspect.”
Chahar said that even though he thinks Toledo is a miserable city, UT provides a high level of safety for its students.
“[The UT Police Department] especially is very quick to respond, and provides another level of safety for UT students,” he said.
Chahar said there is always room for improvement, but UT has made efforts to address unemployment, crime rates and commuting times.
“The only thing UT can’t do is change the weather,” Chahar said. “Everything else has been and will continue to be improved upon.”
Jacobs said there are lots of things about the city of Toledo that can be criticized, but the only way a city can regain its strength and rebuild itself is through “the faith of community members.”
“Have faith,” Jacobs said. “We need to believe in each other, believe in ourselves, and believe in what we are doing here if we hope to accomplish a better life for the future.”
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