B Y DUSAN VUKSANOVIC
Green Mountain College is entering an exciting period of renovation and change. On October 23, college’s president Paul Fonteyn presented a plan at a community forum which included a constructinon of a new $3.6 million biomass facility, an upgrade of the power system, and a renovation of several buildings.
One of the buildings that is scheduled for restoration is the Wellness Center, but in order to accomplish that, two long-time community members, Dr. Michael Scovner and his wife Myra, would have to move out. “I was shocked when I found out about the decision,” Dr. Scovner explained. “I feel like such a fool, we’ve invested so much personally,” Myra said.
Dr. Scovner has been a member of the college community since July 1989. A few days ago, he was informed that his contract with the community has been terminated, and he was presented a letter which ordered him to move out of the building within 150 days. President Fonteyn noted that the contract was revoked in order to provide more rooms for students. “I need a dorm here, and I don’t have the space,” Fonteyn said. “My problem is the way [that the termination was done] through a letter,” student Corinne Vigen said. “I think that Scovner should have been told in a proper, more polite manner.”
The concern about Dr. Scovner’s removal was mentioned six times at the community forum. Students were worried that once he was out, there wouldn’t be a doctor on campus. However, President Fonteyn promised that the students “will have as equal or better service than they have today.” Fonteyn didn’t want to comment on who the new service provider would be, but he noted the information would be available within a week.
Scovner has already started looking into several local places where he could continue his practice in order to keep most of his patients. “I have about 3,000 patients to take care of in the community,” Scovner noted. He claims that his financial situation is stable. “I hope things will work out for the college and the community,” Myra Scovner said.
