Ms. Patterson & Trent University Board of Governors,
I came to Trent from a town of 4000 people, called Petrolia. It, like this university, has its own family-feel. That is the reason that I chose Trent (which did not offer me entrance scholarships), over Western and Brock (which did). It was this closeness that further attracted me to residence life, and was a factor in my choosing to work for Lady Eaton and Traill for two summers rather than for local businesses. My heart is with the colleges, moreso than with the city of Peterborough, or Trent University as a whole. I'm sure that you're familiar with the Gestalt principle of psychology which states that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. However, if the parts deteriorate or change to a large extent, there is no choice but for the whole to evolve as well. During the summer of my first year, I was asked to be part of a small group that was to help plan the new food services to be provided by Aramark. Our sole recommendation was something to the effect of "whatever you do, please do not change the meal times from standard to not. The meal times are when everyone gathers in one place. It is the opportunity to take a free seat next to those you do not know, and to make friends easily." So much community and friendship building took place at those group meetings, and often we'd stay well past then end of dinner just to continue an interesting conversation. Much to our dismay, they ignored our recommendations, and that to me was the beginning of the fall of the college system. It's in these subtle changes that real change is coming about, and I don't think that it's for the best, in any sense of the word. Sure, shutting down the downtown colleges may bring immediate financial gain, but the special links to the city of Peterborough and the cultures of PR and Traill will be obliterated. It is important to note that each college has a distince character. Different types of people attend the different colleges. Ask any student, and they'll be able to accurately describe the differences with uncanny ability. With fewer colleges, I truly believe that Trent will be closing its doors to two entire types of students who otherwise may have found a home at Trent. I love Trent University, it's not "Trent" per se, but the thriving communities within Trent that I truly love. I loved working with everyone at LEC during my summer there. Ken Field, Judy Grasmuck, Katherine Curle, Cliff, Mark, Vic, Mary-Louise, Goldie, The McMahons, The Awes, and Bill and Julie. I loved spending another summer at Traill with Heather Avery, Lorraine, Emile, Jamie, David Paige, and countless professors. The college communities are not about dollars and cents, they are about people and community. Kill the atmosphere they live in, and you kill facets of the people. Nature versus Nurture came out a moot point, but no one will argue that nurture is not involved. It is a great part of who people are. These same communities cannot simply be transplanted into more centralized concrete buildings. The same communities will not magically emerge. Things will be different, and Trent will change. As I see Trent, it was a perfect blend of people, so, any change can lead to nothing but imperfection. And now, as a member of the Trent Radio Board of Directors, an active supporter of Trent Walkhome, and a participant in Theatre Trent, the Psychology Ethics Committee, and numerous other little communities at or connected to Trent I feel particularly attached to the communities that are presently active. I love my college, the other colleges, and all of the clubs to which I belong, and to see any one of them be eliminated would destroy a large part of the faith I have left in Trent. I want to graduate from a school that I can be proud of. I want to be able to come back and recognize faces and to be able to name the buildings, and check up on how clubs are doing. I want these communities to continue to thrive. Unfortunately, the way that things are progressing, I'm afraid that in future there might not be a university to come back to at all.
Regretfully yours,
Derek Martin
Honours Psychology and Computer Studies
Class of 2000
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