With the exception of two army years and attending grad school at Oklahoma and Michigan, I am a regular reader of the UNews.  I want to share with you the same thoughts about Jay I most recently communicated with Dr. Pestello and Fr. Collins.

     Jay’s parents, Virginia and Gerald Nies, were fellow students in the geography dept., which, at that time, was located in DeSmet Hall.  They graduated after me, with Jerry going to grad school.

     Jay was the youngest of several children to bless the Nies family.  However, at Jerry’s loss due to cancer while Jay was quite small, I remember his great concern that his youngest offspring would not remember him.  Many made sure that would not happen.

     When I became president of A&S Alumni in 1994, Jay joined and became our publicity man.  Started a publication called Focus, that at times had problems with the University’s office.  Jay performed valiantly.  Focus more than survived.

     Your liberal political persuasion is quite obvious in what you report, how you report, and the editorial page.  I know you write for the current student body.  However, the University is bigger than any single part.  Jay’s letter reflects the thoughts of many former students who still stay in touch with their alma mater. May many other letters such as Jay’s continue the Jesuit tradition of true discourse.

     The final paragraph of the editorial just next to Jay’s letter is true liberal balderdash.  In 1964, I was a very active member of the Young Democrats chapter on campus.  The UNews is as incorrect in its assessment of Mr. Trump as many of us were in believing that Republican candidate Senator Barry Goldwater would be part of ending this world in a nuclear disaster.  Wrong many in ‘64, and the same for ‘16.

     I have experienced the gradual transformation of the Post-Dispatch, a great reporter of the news, yet quite liberal on it’s editorial page, over the past two decades.  The editorial page philosophy has now overwhelmed the newsroom.  I know you adore Dr. Meyer, but the UNews is an absolute reflection of the P-D in format, which is wonderful, and content.  Not good for objective reporting.

     Best to all.  Love my frequent visits to campus.

Roy Gillyon, A&S ‘64, Grad ‘66