To the Campus Community
At the beginning of this new semester I would like to bring everyone up to date on some of the events of the past five weeks or so.

The case for public higher education
This spring 50,000 students will graduate from public high schools in Massachusetts, and three quarters of them will go to college. Half of those Massachusetts students who pursue higher education will do so on a public campus.

Swift plan cuts $3.5m from system
The process of fashioning a fiscal 2003 state budget had its official kickoff last week as Acting Gov. Jane Swift outlined her proposed $23.5 billion spending plan and reiterated her steadfast opposition to any delay in a series of voter-approved income tax rollbacks.

Security officers make their case to students
Students moving back into residence halls early this week and their accompanying parents were greeted by warnings regarding the future of student safety on campus.

Higher fees on trustees’ agenda
Student charges for the 2002-03 academic year and the current fiscal operating budget top the agenda for the next Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 11 a.m. in the Conference Dining Room at the Dartmouth campus.

Welch gives $1m for scholarship fund
Recalling his academic roots, retired General Electric chairman Jack Welch has given $1 million to the University to establish a scholarship fund for graduates of Salem High School.