In light of Dr. Steven DiSalvo’s recent announcement of resignation, now is more important a time than ever to emphasize the need for transparency from this college’s administration.

Not to say that most of the Saint Anselm community did not see this coming, that being Dr. DiSalvo’s resignation, what with the departure of Eric Norman and the 13 staff members laid off last spring, but with this announcement comes the frustration that the administration has not made many changes in its approach to the relationship it upholds with its surrounding community.

Students and alumni alike called for greater transparency back in June and still now are struggling to keep afloat in all of the rumors that have spread about, in this case, Dr. DiSalvo’s resignment.

With a lack of communication between administration and students, faculty, and staff, comes the spread of misinformation that will lead to even greater confusion. If anything, the administration needs to acknowledge that unless rumors are confronted, they will continue to spread and transform into something damaging to our community.

We should, as an institution, be proactive in how we approach these events on campus to prevent students and parents, faculty and staff, and even donors, from wondering what really goes on behind the scenes at Saint Anselm College.

We can only shake our heads woefully and call these mishaps ‘hawkward’ for so long. After a while, we will begin to slip into a complacency in our actions and our attitudes that do not bode well for the future of the College.

Clear-cut communication is a fundamental aspect to any working relationship. As the people of this community, we have the right to understand exactly how our efforts in the relationship are being respected and reciprocated.

A lack of communication on one side of a working relationship is a tell-tale sign that one person is not appreciated as highly as they appreciate the other.

This lack of communication is as much ‘disrespecting the nest’ as anything else.

Moreover, parents deserve to know what the status of the College to which they are sending their kids. These families spend anywhere between 25 and 50 thousand dollars every year so that their child can come to this college.

Then news breaks that there is “$1.5 million budget forecasting error,” as reported in the Union Leader some four months ago. Would not you worry about the money that you invest in your child’s education and how the College handles that money? Would not that raise a red flag in the back of your mind on whether or not the College is in control of its financial standing?

Situations like this raise such questions because there is little to no communication being had between the administration and the other members of our community. It is understandable that some things cannot be shared with the public.

However, an open line of communication for certain areas would dispel a numerous amount of misinformation and distrust being spread across campus.

Therefore, as the College forms its search committee, we hope that this committee, the administration, the Board of Trustees, really anyone involved in the development of the College after Dr. DiSalvo’s departure, keeps in mind the fact that our community can only be truly Anselmian if everyone commits to and upholds the values of respect and communication that we deserve.