Opponents of governance changes have no reason to sue
By Patrick Mattimore, San Francisco
Published on Wednesday, September 26, 2007
To the Editor:
Having made the best of efforts to separate the rhetorical wheat from the chaff with regard to the "governance thing," I admit to feeling left with a bowl of farina. In isolation, both sides' arguments sound sound, and so, it becomes difficult from a distance, to understand how the synthesis could be so disharmonious.
As an attorney, I can't even begin to understand the thinking that might lead a group of alumni to now initiate procedures to sue the College. Surely, either in Hanover or recruited from elsewhere, there must be a few cooler heads who would be willing to sit with interested parties and hammer out reasonable accommodations.
Both sides should understand that what may have started as fascinating diversion played out in the national press (most notably the pages of the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times) threatens to irreparably harm the College and her reputation. None of the participants should believe that prolonging these squabbles can possibly produce beneficent results.
I am no mediator but would certainly be willing along, no doubt, with many other stakeholders, to help broker a solution.