Published on 3/28/2001

To the Editor of The Day:
I am vehemently opposed to the idea of moving Three Rivers Community College to downtown Norwich. I have taught at Thames Valley/Three Rivers since 1985. For the last five years, I have served as faculty advisor to student government. I believe my opinions reflect those of our students. Here is a simple list of reasons why the idea of moving Three Rivers to downtown Norwich is utterly asinine:

1. Traffic: There is no accessibility, and no parking. The Preston site has much easier access.

2. Safety: Students fear crime in downtown Norwich. This is especially true of female and night students.

3. Atmosphere: A college should have a campus and college atmosphere. Who could ever say that a beautiful college campus could exist in downtown Norwich? A college should have a reasonably large campus where students can lie on the lawn, play catch, Frisbee, or whatever.

The current political games taking place are delaying our consolidation. Is it the responsibility of Three Rivers to bail the city of Norwich out of its economic problems? No. Three Rivers belongs to the state of Connecticut not the city of Norwich. It serves a large number of students from throughout Connecticut and even some from nearby Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It is not a school exclusively for Norwich students; therefore, the needs of all students should be considered.

Gov. John Rowland should authorize the construction of a new campus at the Preston site. 

Brent A. Maynard
Moosup

The writer is a professor of nuclear science at Three Rivers.