March 10, 2003

Statement of the Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association regarding UMass efforts to sell bonds to finance dorms at its Boston campus.

We were shocked and profoundly disappointed to read in the media that UMass was going forward with bond financing for their dorm proposal. UMass Boston Chancellor Jo Ann Gora recently gave a written commitment to the community that UMass would "not move forward on the dorms project until the community impact study is completed". That community impact study has not even begun.

We share the concerns of the Romney administration, as reported in the Boston Globe that UMass appears "to be ramming through plans for dormitories at the university system's Boston campus over neighborhood opposition and without fully informing the public and the administration."

We encourage Governor Romney to stop UMass Boston's dorm project. Without the prospect of dorms being rammed down our throats, we look forward to a new opportunity to begin to build a real relationship with UMass Boston based on mutual respect and trust.

UMass Committee