Letter to the Editor

Important Note

The following letter was written by a concerned PSU alumnus who graduated in 2015. His opinion does not reflect that of the Clock.

To Whom It May Concern: 

My name is Alex Herbst. I am an alumnus of Plymouth State University, Class of 2015. I received a degree in meteorology, and was an active member of the campus and community during my time in the heart of the White Mountains. I previously served as Student Body President, Senior Class President, and was a four-year member of the Student Senate. 

I have been closely following in recent weeks the news about changes to the residential policies of the university, including additional restrictions on who may be allowed to live off campus. While I remain unaware of the entire process that the university may or may not have employed in deciding on this policy, and whether or not various constituency groups have been consulted, I am disappointed as are many alumni in the result.

The university experience is not only a tool to educate students to become strong individuals in the workforce, but to make them responsible adults. Certainly, I did a lot of my growing up at Plymouth State over my four years there. For my final year, that was spent living in an offcampus apartment with a number of my friends, who remain my closest friends to this day. The off-campus environment at Plymouth State is different than many others at other universities, because the students become a part of the community as a whole, not sequestered to one corner of town away from everyone else. 

I firmly believe that students have every right to live off campus after following the current residential life policy for their freshman and sophomore years. After all, this is the policy that many came to campus with the understanding of, and changing it on them midway through the fall semester can be likened to pulling the rug out from under them. Of course, I understand that university leadership must do what is in the best interest of the university as a whole, and that includes balancing budgets. However, I have always valued Plymouth State as a university that puts the students first, both in and out of the classroom. 

This controversy, of course, is one that leadership could see coming, which is why I applaud the university for providing avenues for students to express their outrage. However, I am equally disappointed in the students who responded so poorly and distastefully based on the reports I have read. It takes everyone coming to a table, every constituency involved, to solve problems like these. This is something Plymouth State has done before, and can do again. 

I believe in the past, present, and future of Plymouth State not only because it is where I went to school, where I grew up, and where I give back to now, but because I know the people of this great institution value the students who go to Plymouth. To the students out there who feel strongly about this issue, I encourage you to share your opinions with the powers that be and 

work with them to find a solution. To the administrators at Plymouth State, I urge you to work closely with engaged students, parents, community members, and alumni to improve this clearly hot button issue. Communication is key here, as with many issues universities face, and our university must communicate better across the board. This is not the first large change where constituencies have felt left out of the loop, a problem that has been growing in frequency in recent years. I sincerely hope it is the last time that such a problem should occur. 

Make no mistake, I have and will continue to strongly support Plymouth State. My car is covered in green stickers, and I proudly wear my green tie when I work on television. I will continue to give back in any way I can to this university because I believe the students need support from alumni like me. And today and in the future, I stand with the students of Plymouth State University and those who put the interests of students first. 

Always a Panther, 

Alex Herbst 

Plymouth State Class of 2015 

Former Student Body President