Dear Dean Larimore,
"The college cannot accept financial gifts for projects that are not on its
list of priorities, which includes such things as financial aid, student
housing and new libraries." Larimore said. --Valley News 12/7/2002
I am confused. Why are alumni donations not allowed to be earmarked for a
certain project? Why is saving the Swimming and Diving teams not a
priority? Shouldn't you and the rest of the administration be doing
everything in your power to save the team? It just seems odd. I can
understand the argument that the donations would not sustain the team more
than a season or two, and even the argument that the donations should first
go to assisting students with financial aid needs, but would that not be
enough time to put the college's finances in order? I am not writing an
angry blitz, but simply just curious as to why this is the case.
I do not want to sound crass, but if you haven't been reading the NY Times
or the Boston Globe or walked around this campus and not being able to turn
your head without noticing a poster, flyer, t-shirt or swimmer in their
jacket, this is quite a priority to your 4200 students.