Letters to the editor
Posted on August 27, 2007

Eickel issues apology

I would like to clarify a lack of communication concerning my campaign last spring for student government. The majority of my platform ideas were taken from the student assembly campaign of Zach Pilchen and Valerie Hopkins at the College of William and Mary. I would like to publicly apologize to both Zach and Valerie as well as the JMU community for not making this clear last spring during my own campaign, and for not giving Zach and Valerie credit for using their ideas in my platform. I want to make sure that due credit is awarded and emphasize my desire to bring successful ideas from other schools to JMU. With this said, I look forward to an exciting and productive year!

Brandon Eickel
senior, political science

Pleas for Peru

I am an alumnus of JMU, and the father of a 2007 JMU alumnus. Recently there was a devastating earthquake on the coast of Peru, and the city of Ica was most devatstated by the earthquake.

I taught English there at El Instituto Un Mundo for two years in 1982, and I am the father of two Peruvian-American children.

I ask the JMU community to please reach out to the people of Ica. Ica is an agricultural oasis and on the coastal desert and a college town like Harrisonburg.

I know that JMU has a good reputation as an agricultural school and I am asking you to consider my request.

Wm. Jay Bender, alum ‘79