Responding to the recent acts of hate speech, the Student Assembly held an "emergency town meeting" in the Collis Common Ground last night to discuss issues of hate.
Before last night's town meeting, Pelton and four other deans met with a group of about 30 students upset by the hate incidents and administration's reactions to the incidents.
At the discussion, Pelton said the student who admitted to writing the racist message on the door of two Asian-American students in the Choates Cluster plans to reveal himself in an open letter to the community Monday.
Jeffrey Link '98 was arrested by Hanover Police on Jan.24 in connection with the incident.
Almost 400 people attended the town meeting, which Assembly President Jim Rich '96 moderated.
Rich condemned a recent incident of racism, in which an unknown person wrote the word "chink" on the door of two Asian-American women early Thursday morning.
Two weeks ago, a student scrawled racial slurs on the door of two Asian-American students in Little Hall. During Summer term, a sexist and racist poem was allegedly read aloud during a meeting in Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
Last term, an unidentified person threw dirt at the window of a woman in Lord Hall, where she was displaying a Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance flag. Two weeks earlier, a student found the statement "Kill the Faggots" written above a "Gay Friendly Space" sticker on a door in the Gold Coast cluster.
"These incidents have hurt my friends and have hurt the College," Rich said. "While we believe in the freedom of expression, we will not tolerate intolerance."
Rich encouraged the entire community to attend today's rally to protest the incidents. The rally will be held at noon in front of Parkhurst administration building.
Rich then gave the microphone to Dean of the College Lee Pelton, who said these occurrences "must stop."
At the meeting, Pelton distributed a letter condemning the hate incidents. The letter recommends the community set aside time during Winter Carnival for "discussions, symposia, films or dramatic performances that highlight the important issues that we have faced during the last several days and weeks."
After Rich and Pelton spoke, students in the audience took turns addressing the crowd, asking questions, making comments and proposing solutions.
Mike Roberts '96 said the community should remember racism has always existed. Now "fleas are coming out of an infested carpet," he said.
Unai Montes-Irueste '98 distributed a petition asking the College to require all students to take a course on interracial concerns during their first fall at the College.
"If they can require a swim test to graduate, they can require you take a class" about understanding different races, he said.
Montes-Irueste said the victims and other concerned students asked him to draft the petition.
Vice President of the Class of 1999 Rex Morey stood and read a statement drafted by the Freshman Council condemning the recent hate incidents.
"We believe that the Dartmouth community should take a stand and work together to solve the underlying problems of racism, sexism and other acts of hatred," the statement reads.
Many students charged the administration with failing to respond to the incidents properly.
Jon Jun '98, one of the Asian-American students whose door was vandalized in the first racist incident, took the floor to say, "I was disappointed by a ... lackluster response from the administration."
Alexis Sainz '96 said, "One night of social issues night isn't going to do it. I'm demanding long-term change."
After the meeting, Pelton said, "I thought it was a very powerful evening."
"I applaud the brave students who spoke out of their discomfort," he said. "It was a wonderful expression of community."
Pelton said since Montes-Irueste's petition seeks to change the academic curriculum, it would need the approval of the faculty. Pelton said this proposal would foster "an interesting debate."
Rich said the Assembly started planning last night's town meeting at 2 p.m. in response to the urgings of several students.
Rich said Colors helped the Assembly plan the meeting.
Colors is a new campus organization comprised of the presidents and vice presidents of seven minority groups.
"I think the night went well," said Tom Fisher '96, the vice president of the Afro-American Society and a member of Colors. "There was a diverse range of people."
After today's rally, the Programming Board will hold a public meeting in the first floor lounge of Collis to plan a program for next Friday to address the issues of racism and hate.
Earlier yesterday, Pelton held a meeting in his office, where he and four other deans met with approximately 30 students.
Some students have been calling for Pelton to release the name of the person who wrote "chink" and "bastard" on the door of the two Asian-American students in the Choates.
Very few students last night said they knew Link had committed the act of vandalism in the Choates.
Before the discussion, Eugene Kim '97 said, "He shamed all of us by talking. I don't know why we can't shame him."
Many of the students attending the discussion complained that Pelton's reaction to the recent incidents on campus was insufficient.
"What students want is for the administration to react and to react strongly," Morning Washburn '98 said. "Something stronger has to be done."
Pelton voiced a similar opinion. He said "these pieces of paper are not sufficient," referring to the letter he wrote. The College needs "not just words, but actions."
"This stuff still happens, and when it does, you have to respond," he said.
Most of the students at the discussion were disappointed the College is only punishing the perpetrator for vandalism and violating the alcohol policy.
Eric Huang '96 complained that the College's code of conduct contains "no explicit statement against hate crimes."
Pelton said the College already prohibits harassment, but would not sanction students' freedom of speech in any way.
"A decision has been made not to have such codes," Pelton said.
Jannet Oh '98, one of the victims of yesterday's racist graffiti, said minorities should do more than make it comfortable for whites to respect them. "We need to make it uncomfortable for them to not respect us," she said.
Yun Chung '97 expressed disappointment that the groups reacting to the incidents are mostly composed of minorities.
"Why aren't frats and class councils coming to us?" she asked.
Some students said the College should do more to support programs to engender racial understanding. But Pelton said the administration already supports such events, for instance via funding.
Sarah Cho '97 suggested the College institute a special advisor to the Asian-American community. She said Dean of Freshmen Peter Goldsmith said he would be willing to serve as the advisor.
