To the members of the Dartmouth community:
I would like to respond to the very thoughtful editorial by Eleanor Leahy that appeared in The Dartmouth on February 23. Eleanor commented on several issues that are central to many of the conversations currently occurring on campus. As most of you know, the impetus for her editorial was the incident that happened at Psi Upsilon fraternity last week, when several members of that organization reportedly yelled offensive, threatening and unacceptable language at a fellow Dartmouth student.
The situation that occurred at Psi Upsilon is quite upsetting to me, both personally and professionally. I was in California to speak with alumni groups in San Francisco and Los Angeles when I learned of the incident. I was appalled and extremely disappointed by the behavior that had been reported. On the most basic human level, it astounds me that anyone in our community could treat another person in such a demeaning and disrespectful manner.
Eleanor stated in her letter that it is the role of an institution to educate the members of its community. I am in complete agreement with that sentiment. However, it is important to recognize that such efforts ultimately rest on the shoulders of individuals who have a commitment to this work.
Martin Redman, Dean of Residential Life, and his staff are developing plans to address the ongoing concerns raised by this incident through the work of the Greek Life Steering Committee and other working groups focused on improving the residential experience of all Dartmouth students. In the short"term, his staff is investigating, through the Coed, Fraternity, and Sorority Judicial Council, the possible violation of policy. The College will also be taking steps to determine whether or not there are grounds for individual responsibility in this situation. You might also have seen the letter from Dean Holly Sateia that appeared in The Dartmouth late last week. Dean Sateia chairs the Diversity Committee for the Dean of the College area and played an important role in bringing the Beyond the Box conference on diversity to Dartmouth this past weekend. From all accounts, the conference reaffirmed the important values of community, diversity, civility and justice for the students, faculty and administrators from Dartmouth and other schools who participated in the conference. While still in the fact finding stage of our work, the members of the World Cultures Initiative Committee are pursuing a charge to promote a campus environment that encourages students to understand differences, to learn from each other and to recognize their own responsibilities as citizens of the world. That committee has already participated in meetings hosted by the Student Assembly and MOSAIC, and more conversations will be scheduled for Spring term.
As I write this letter I have been back in Hanover for just slightly more than twelve hours, so I am certain that I know of only a fraction of the ways that administrators, students and others have responded to the incident at Psi Upsilon. As in the past, you can expect that administrators will continue to speak out and to encourage others to do so as well. The College provides an array of opportunities for students to inform themselves and to contribute to the education of others. I understand from Dean Sateia that the members of the Diversity Peer Program are developing a response. The Committee on Civil Discourse, which is chaired by Ozzie Harris, the Director of Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action, also plans to discuss the incident that occurred at Psi Upsilon at that Committee's next meeting. In addition, I know that many of my colleagues have been engaged in small group and one-on-one conversations with students over the past week.
As a 1999 graduate of the College commented to me last week, it is essential that students play an active role in the educational enterprise at Dartmouth. I assured him that, as they did during his time at the College (which, after all, ended just two years ago), students continue to challenge and engage one another in very constructive ways. The powerful influence that students have on their peers is undeniable. I believe that the many student letters that have appeared in The Dartmouth, the private conversations that have taken place between students and within student organizations and the ongoing dialogue that many of you have had with members of Psi Upsilon represent some of the most meaningful educational interactions that can occur. I hope that your involvement in such discussions continue long after you have graduated from Dartmouth. The world needs people who are willing to speak their minds, challenge ignorance when they encounter it and create constructive opportunities for learning and reconciliation.
Eleanor expressed a concern that it sometimes seems that little has happened at Dartmouth to help one believe that we will someday end up being a better and more inclusive community. As upset as I am by the incident at Psi Upsilon, I do believe that students' expectations of each other are changing over time. It was heartening to read in her letter that students and others are taking on the issue of how to confront students in those organizations that continue to pass down Indian mascot jackets as part of their formal or informal traditions.
I know as well as most that it can sometimes feel that personal commitment and action are small tools to apply to seemingly insurmountable problems. But let me remind you that positive change cannot happen without a personal commitment to action.
Eleanor, I want you and your peers to know that what we do matters. You are building on the proud, hard work of many people in the Dartmouth community who have come before you. Your presence and involvement provides a measure of reassurance to them that today's students continue the sometimes arduous work of making Dartmouth a better, stronger place. I am proud, as are my colleagues, to join with you in that effort.
