LETTERS: TIME TO LEAVE OLD NEWS IN THE PAST

To the editor:

As a new member of the Cape Girardeau community and administration at SEMO, I was dismayed by the article regarding the Mitchell-braxong promotion. It read more like an expose of the financial and legal difficulties of the university (particularly the TRIO programs) rather than a story regarding a change in professional appointment.

It is unfortunate that this rehashing of events which occurred last spring might tarnish the reputations of the programs and dedicated professionals who provide a much-needed service to the region.

In an area with one of the highest illiteracy and poverty rates, programs like Upward Bound, Talent Search and Student Support Services that provide access and support to students who probably would not otherwise receive postsecondary education deserve our support and praise.

Although I strongly believe that people who engage in inappropriate activities should be held accountable, it is equally clear to me that it's time to take the lessons learned fromn last year, forgo the sensationalism, and allow the very capable individuals currently running these and other learning assistance programs to function free of the blight of what is now old news.

KIMBERLY BARRETT

Cape Girardeau