2/6/1981, Burlington Free Press

NORWICH, GODDARD MAY JOIN

By LAURA KING
Associated Press

PLAINFIELD - Goddard College may join with Norwich College to save itself from financial ruin.

Officials announced Thursday that Norwich might take over some of Goddard's course offerings.

Students on the Goddard campus snapped off mock salutes and faculty members ruminated about the ethics of such an involvement as the word spread of the possible association.

The schools are 20 miles apart, but have little in common philosophically. Goddard is an internationally-known progressive college and Norwich one of the nation's oldest military schools.

"It's obscene in every sense of the word," shouted Goddard faculty member Scott Nielson at a meeting Thursday on the Plainfield campus.

Others students and faculty members at Goddard also expressed reservations. "Is it true they trained the Shah's secret police?" asked one student, in reference to Iranian navy cadets enrolled at Norwich.

Goddard has been striving to stay afloat financially while fighting withdrawal of its academic accreditation. A decision by its faculty to work three weeks without pay kept the college from losing last fall.

Officials at both Goddard and Norwich cautioned that the talks are preliminary. "We're not talking about having Goddard undergraduates running around Norwich next semester," said Goddard spokesman Ginger Reed.

Goddard trustees agreed Saturday to allow Norwich to examine all its academic offerings, the school announced. The study is to be completed by late March. The findings will be presented to the Norwich trustees, who will decide if there are any Goddard courses that can be incorporated into the Norwich curriculum.

Norwich President Loring Hart acknowledged that news of a possible association by the two schools - one a bastion of strict military discipline and the other a mecca for free thinkers and social progressives - may be "startling."

"Goddard students and Norwich students are ... different in appearance, certainly," said Norwich spokesman George Turner.

Acting Goddard President Victor Loefflath-Ehly told the group of faculty and students he would insist on "preserving the name and significance of Goddard as an independent entity."

"I am not advancing any play that would see a complete merger of Goddard and Norwich," he said. "But the interaction could be exciting."

He said discussing an association with Norwich already has "bought some time" for Goddard. He said the decision to continue offering classes this term came in part because of the prospect of a deal with Norwich.

Officials cited the transfer of one Goddard program, in art therapy, to the Montpelier campus of Vermont College, a component of Norwich University. Twenty students transferred in order to continue their art therapy studies, according to Norwich officials.

He said Norwich has not expressed interest in purchasing the Goddard campus, "but that's one of the things we'll discuss."

Goddard, meanwhile, is basing its hopes for survival on private fundraising, the possibility of a large federal grant and its accreditation appeal.

Loefflath-Ehly said more than $100,000 has been raised since November, and that officials will hear in mid-April whether they have received $1 million federal grant.

The accreditation appeal is under way. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges is expected to make a decision by May 18, Loefflath-Ehly said.

He also said talks are under way with "a number of schools in the region" about other cooperative ventures. He said those talks have been confidential and are too sensitive to discuss.

"The accreditation matter is tied very strongly to our financial condition," he said. "So my first priority is to get Goddard on solid financial ground."