One should have fair warning that bikes tend to get beat up in universities and university towns. My Surly Long Haul Trucker frame and front Mavic rim were destroyed when a cage backed into it while it was parked (partly my fault for parking it where I did, half the other person's fault because they smashed into a pretty obvious guiderail).

Also have had other people knock my bike over, have knocked it over myself (esp. when it is loaded with books). Outside of a few dings in the downtube though, I have not had much damage done to the bike.

Very possible to take a decent steed into university, but these days I take my beater about half the time.