Dear Editor:

Recently, Norwich has created a new parking lot over what used to be the tennis courts. This is a good thing, and I am glad Norwich is concerned about its student parking. The lot has a middle parking lane for anyone, a lane to the right for students, and a lane to the left for commuter students. There is the same amount of spaces just for students as there are for commuters, which seems fair. However, the regular student population out numbers the commuter population. There is a need for the current commuter spaces during the week; however, these students do precisely that, commute. This means they are not going to need to park their cars there on the weekend. So, why not let students park there on weekend? An argument could be that it deters any parking at all, and then cuts out the towing problem, that occurs with weekend left over parking in the teachers' parking area. Parking there is allowed on the weekends.

This is a fair argument; however, even on the weekdays I don�t see half of those spaces filled in the commuter section. I think, at least for the time being, half of those spaces should be changed to student parking, and switch back over to commuter spaces the school receives more commuter students. As far as I know, all it would take would be switching some signs around.

This is just a thought, and I don�t doubt my argument is flawed. However, I do think it would be a reasonable request to make some of the commuter spots into regular student spots.

Mark Zinderman

Dear Editor:

The chow hall doesn�t allow for students to eat a variety of food all day long. Students have varying schedules, and it is the cafeteria's job to always have some way for students to have a balanced meal all day. If students go to the chow hall, for example, at 9:05, all the food for the morning is gone. All that is left is sometimes a bagel, always cereal, and whatever creative thing a student can do with bread. No orange juice, no eggs, pancakes, or even sausage. There needs to be more variety of food throughout the day. A solution could be one line that serves breakfast up to 10:30. That way, students have a chance to eat when their schedules permit them, allowing them more freedom.

Chris Clement

Dear Editor:

I think most, except those that did not get a chance to because they were on an field training exercise, or because they had Guard training, enjoyed the extra day off for mid-semester break. I know I did, except for the fact that I knew that I would just be making the day up later on this year. Considering the cost to run the school each day, it probably would have been a lot more efficient to just skip the long weekend and close one day earlier for break.

Sarah Davis

The last two weeks have provided me some of the most important experiences during my 13 years serving as the President of Norwich University. These experiences evolve around two very significant events � the funeral of MAJ Charles �Rob� Soltes, Jr. �90, US Army Reserve in California, and the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army held in Washington, DC. During my time as President, the University has suffered tragic losses of our students from vehicle and motorcycle accidents or inappropriate use of alcohol. In each case, there has been a profound sense of sadness and lost opportunity on the part of all the faculty, staff, and student body. And certainly, we lose alums every day due to age, disease, or accidents. Each of them have left their mark at Norwich and in the world. But the death of Rob Soltes is the first in my presidency to die on active duty in combat and the first who died in this war on terror in Iraq.

I had the privilege of attending Rob�s funeral in California along with 30 other Norwich University classmates, rugby players, Bravo Company members, and alumni from the Southern California Alumni Club. It was a powerful service attended by over 800 individuals whose lives were touched in a special way by this true citizen-soldier.

Rob was a Civil Affairs Army Reservist by choice. He did not have to be in the Reserves, as he had fulfilled his military obligation previously on active duty. Sally, his wife, and he had a thriving optometry practice. They have two handsome sons and a child on the way, to be born this Christmas. Nevertheless, Rob volunteered into the Army Reserve to make a difference. And he did. He lived our Norwich values of selfless service to Nation. Rob believed in our Nation, and he wanted to make the world a safer place for his children and for all of us who enjoy our way of life and freedoms every day. Rob was a hero. He did his family, his country, and his beloved Norwich proud.

This week six cadets from our ROTC and I had the honor to be the guest of General Gordon R. Sullivan, Norwich University�s Chairman of the Board, at the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army in Washington, DC. There, we all learned firsthand the full depth and dimension of what our Army is doing today. We heard from the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Command Sergeant Major of the Army, members of the Old Guard, and met numerous alums still on active duty, as there were over 4,000 attending this annual meeting. We enjoyed patriotic music and songs played by the United States Army Band, Pershing�s own. While at that meeting, I was able to reflect upon Rob�s death as it relates to the Army�s mission in Iraq. The Association bestowed upon all our soldiers the Marshall Medal for their role in making our army the best in the world. We heard of hero after hero, ordinary people who do extraordinary things, for love of their comrades, their Nation, and our way of life. They were living, as Rob did, the Army values.

I know that within each of you there lives a hero, too. I pray that you and your families will never have to make the ultimate sacrifice as Rob Soltes did, but I know that some of you will, some of you even while I continue to serve as President. With the sheer number of our graduates and students in this fight, it is simply a matter of odds. You should expect that we will have more wonderful Norwich graduates pay the ultimate price for their patriotism, as over 120 alums have done in our 185-year history. This is the thread of life that gives our faculty and staff lives the true meaning of Norwich. Your future service and sacrifice is what Norwich University is all about.

Perhaps LTC Basil S. Burrell, USAR (Ret.) NU �44, in a recent letter, said it best, �Thank you, also, for the notice about Major Charles Soltes, USAR, which makes him what Norwich was founded to produce, citizen soldiers. All of us who have served, in one way or another, understand the pain such a loss creates. But, by the same token, we also realize that our country is stronger and safer because of his sacrifice.�

Norwich Forever!