Dean candidate names should not have been published
Susanah Heohn '10 donates blood for the first time, inspired to give by the blood shortage in national and regional blood banks.
By Carlos Mejia, Managing Editor, Dartmouth Free Press
Published on Monday, February 26, 2007
To the Editor:
I am strongly disappointed with The Dartmouth's decision to publish the names of three finalists for the position of Dean of the College ("Names of Dean candidates surface," Feb. 22). The information printed by The D had not previously been made public, and in fact was previously released to certain individuals only on a confidential basis, in order to protect the search process.
Publishing this article has now compromised the integrity of that process. Those three candidates for this position will now be subject to scrutiny from readers, despite only having limited and unequal information about them; this is both unfair and harmful for all parties concerned.
Moreover, these candidates were probably assured that Dartmouth would keep their applications confidential -- The D has now denied them that protection. Anyone with an internet connection can now discover that these candidates are interested in leaving their current institutions. The candidates who are not selected will undoubtedly face criticism and resentment from their current peers and colleagues. More importantly, future candidates for positions at Dartmouth may now be discouraged from applying for fear of having their own intentions made public prematurely.
As a leader of a campus publication, I certainly understand a desire to give students as much information as possible, but that desire must be tempered by responsibility. I am troubled that The D did not exercise more journalistic restraint in handling this issue.