Gary Writes Back..

Dear Craig - thanks for writing with your concern. All at the college join you in distress at Jessica's loss. I'm saddened too at the loss of your regard, because I like and respect you, and I have a sense of how productively you've invested yourself in the college. As I'm sure you know, matters like this are complex. You see some parts of the puzzle that I don't. I see some that you don't. We come to different conclusions, both I hope in good faith.

Surely you have cause for your disappointment, but among the possible wrongs, I want to point to one on which I hope you'll let me respectfully disagree. I can't agree that the administration of VCFA has either let down or is engaged in dismantling the MFA-V program. While the program surely needs some growth in enrollment, its pedagogy is unchanged, its marketing is being improved, its technical needs will soon see a surge in budgeting, and most important, the students who graduated last semester were assessing their life-changing experience in the program using the same glowing terms that you use.

The administration is fully committed to the support and growth of the program. The program is succeeding and I trust that it will continue to succeed, because Jessica and other staffers and the faculty and graduates and students and graduate assistants have built it into a marvelous institution that is bigger than any one person.

I wish you well, Craig, and I know you will be true to yourself. If that truth ever involves a desire to come back to support -- or just visit -- the program, you will find an open door.

Gary