A.R. Vaino (“Close small campuses, raise tuition, ” BDN, Nov. 16) might be one of those unfortunate teachers who does not do his homework.

First, the University of Maine must not be so bad after all, since he brags about his two years there on his current Web site.

From his comments about the “small campuses” it is apparent he has never visited any, and perhaps not even troubled to become informed. Had he done so he would have included in his grudging praise, for example, the University of Maine at Farmington, enjoying a national reputation as a quality small liberal arts institution, and the University of Maine at Fort Kent, distinguished as a leading bilingual university. Concerning the latter, I hope he was indeed ignorant of that distinction as otherwise, connecting to his snide remark about “barely spoke English” one might begin to suspect xenophobia or worse.

Given his disparaging remarks about UMaine students and “low cost stores,” he does not have a full understanding of the economic profile of the state, else he would support keeping doors of opportunity open, rather than suggesting further impediments via raises in its “low” tuition.

Good luck, sir, at your new job as a California investment banker. But now how can we believe your analysis of higher education if that’s your idea of a step on the professorial career ladder?

I will agree with him on one thing however: “…the best possible investment [Maine] can make is in its schools.”

Frank Wihber

Orono