Dr. Spring's office was searched this morning by investigators. It's also where he allegedly tried to get back into his office several times recently to try to get a hard drive after being blocked from campus.
"I'm grateful that he's no longer here," said Merrimack College junior Joshua Pires.
Dr. Gary Spring was fired from his position Friday as chair of the Civil Engineering Department at Merrimack College on the same day he was arrested on federal child pornography charges at his Danvers home.
The investigation started in late June, when the campus IT office was alerted to a virus on a loaner computer, that was signed out to Dr. Spring and used in the campus cafeteria.
The computer was later seized from his office at the Mendel Center, as he was interviewed there by authorities who say he admitted to the charges against him when arrested.
Police say he told them he "destroyed the thumb drives because he did not want adult aged children to find them if he died."
Spring was also the head of the residential summer camp at Merrimack for middle and high school kids.
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"I personally didn't know him but I think it's a little disturbing that he was here. I think maybe people probably should have looked into it a little more," said sophomore Lisa Liberty.
The allegations date back only to June. But on campus, students were concerned. And say they had not been notified by the school about Dr. Spring's arrest.
"It's kind of ironic being a Catholic institution. Wow. Shocking," Pires said.
The college released a statement, saying in part, "Under college personnel policies, Merrimack on Friday immediately terminated his employment.
The college remains confident in the legal process, and stands firm in the knowledge that Mr. Spring is not reflective of the institution, its members and its core values."
Spring is being held, pending a detention hearing Monday.
