While this is nominally a letter to the editor, it is actually an inquiry posted to the members of the Legislature and the individuals responsible for the operation of the University of Maine System. Why must the school insist on jettisoning the student body onto the streets at the beginning of May each year when there are few, if any, jobs available for them?

The truly egregious aspect of this policy is that the students are then required to return to school at, or before, the Labor Day weekend, thereby not only depriving them of at least an additional month of remunerative employment, but also wreaking havoc with local employers who must then scurry to find replacement help. The unfortunate result is that many seasonable employers seek their summer staff from sources other than the University of Maine, thereby assuring that Maine students don’t get the opportunity of securing high-paying summer jobs.

It doesn’t seem that complicated: There are no jobs in May, and there are lots of jobs in September. Has this occurred to anybody in Augusta or Orono? Peter R. Roy Ellsworth