"What does common sense tell you?"

The title of this post is a quote from another mailing I received from Marymount College.

The mailer was not nearly as big or information filled as the Brochure and DVD that arrived days before.

This mailer was more to the point in offering that whoever paid for the mailer thinks it is common sense to have younger college students living on the campus of Marymount College.

Let me offer what my common sense tells me.

I never again want to read or hear anything like what happened last May.

Days before Marymount College was to hold its graduation ceremonies a true tragedy occurred.

A second year student was drunk when he drove his car past the Marymount Campus on Palos Verdes Drive East.

The drunk driver, who I do not believe was 21 years old crashed his car and the Marymount student perished.

Common sense tells me that I need to take whatever steps I can to try and keep that from happening again. I would have hoped that Marymount's administration, faculty, staff, and supporters would have considered that common sense should also tell them that a tragedy like this or the near fatal collisions that have occurred with other Marymount students involved directly adjacent to the campus should never happen again, either.

Sadly, too many of these folks may feel like perhaps more collisions, injuries, or even fatalities are acceptable to them just so younger students could live on campus.

Common sense also tells me that having students and staff living on the Marymount campus 24/7 means those residents must be fed and have other provisions provided. That means more large trucks driving up and down Palos Verdes Drive East. Common sense tells me that it is not common sense to have many large trucks on that steep, winding, and narrow road in too many places.

Common Sense also tells me that I can read and that most of the registered voters in Rancho Palos Verdes have not read the reports that state as fact the number of vehicle trips will INCREASE per school day and on weekends relating to Marymount College, no matter what the number of vehicles actually parked on campus and driven by students and others who reside in on-campus housing.

Common sense also tells me that if Marymount ever builds on-campus housing and it is completely occupied, Marymount officials would probably seek to increase the number of rooms in residence halls on the Marymount Campus.

Common sense should tell you that if dorms are added and with the new 4-year status for the College, it would be unrealistic to think that Marymount's officials and supporters would not seek to raise the enrollment cap.

Common sense should tell potential petition signers that skilled drivers of commuter vehicles run scheduled trips between the campus, off-campus housing sites, and to other destinations. I would hope that Marymount supporters would have enough common sense to realize that fewer van drivers are better than more younger students driving up and down The Hill.

Common sense also tells me that an unknown number of students who might live in the dorms will probably have jobs and that there are not many jobs available for students at or near the Marymount Campus.

So common sense should tell you that these young students and job seekers will go up and down Palos Verdes Drive East between where they live and where they work, play, or find entertainment.

Common sense should have been considered by the author of this latest mailer that the safety of the students attending Marymount and everyone else living in the area must be the primary concern of everyone.

Common sense tells me that everyone who considers signing the petition should read the facts completely and not be mislead by brochures, DVD's mailers, and petition signature gatherers who probably know much less about The Marymount Plan and The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project than I do.

Common sense is tells me and should tell you that when you see a mailer that only tauts one portion of a much larger project, then there must be something wrong with that single portion.

Common sense should also tell you to remember: "If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably isn't."

And if common sense doesn't tell you that if on-campus housing is such an important item, why hasn't Marymount's administration and supporters furnished on-campus housing since the College opened up again and became co-ed?

I hope you will use common sense and read all the facts about both The Marymount Plan and The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project before you consider further whether you want to sign the petition.

And when you do finally use you common sense to become truly educated on all the issues, you will do as I am requesting everyone does and:

Please don't sign the petition.