Communication
Test Is Flunked

Alas, VTC has again forgotten the existence of community users of SHAPE. This is a shame, especially when Gov. Douglas at last Saturday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new SHAPE addition, emphasized that this was a community resource.

When planning for that SHAPE addition, the college once again ignored us. We are the 60 or so people, most of us over 60, who have been using the facility for classes at least three to six hours a week, some for over 15 years. Many depend on this facility as a vital part of their continued health. Indeed, if you add up the hours we have used the facility, no other group, except perhaps some of the maintenance staff, has spent more hours in SHAPE, summers and other vacations when the students are not even around.

It is surprising that VTC’s administration has forgotten us. I would have thought that our meeting with President Handy this past summer made a lasting impression. At that meeting, over 50 of us criticized the college's failure to inform us about changes in the SHAPE program. Mr. Handy himself said he had never in all his years as an administrator had a meeting like that and he promised to improve communication with us.

Well, last week, the same thing occurred. We were not informed, nor was the instructor nor even some of the administrators, that the facility will be closed this coming Friday for 10 days. Furthermore, no arrangements were made to relocate the classes held there.

Now, I understand, the classes are being relocated (after some of us went to the administration and complained), but we need maps to tell us where they will be and where we can park. Some of us are handicapped and cannot walk far, so when SHAPE is reopened, there needs to be more handicapped parking nearer the entrance.

We, as involved members of the community, taxpayers and voters, are asking that this not happen again.

Joan Sax

Randolph Center