To the Editor:
The Principle of Community states: "The life and work of a Dartmouth student should be based on integrity, responsibility and consideration. In all activities each student is expected to be sensitive to and respectful of the rights and interests of others and to be personally honest. He or she should be appreciative of the diversity of the community as providing an opportunity for learning and moral growth." (The Student Handbook, 1996-97)
This is a tenet by which we all agreed to adhere to as part of our matriculation to this College. We must live by it each and every day that we are students here.
In terms of the Student Assembly situation this term, these are the facts as we know them:
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During a Student Assembly meeting on April 29th, Dominic LaValle '99 made a comment in regards to the ethnic studies resolution in which he said something to the effect of "...only colored students will take colored classes...."
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During the SA meeting on May 6th, LaValle was intoxicated and proceeded to be disruptive as a letter was read on the ethnic studies resolution. His disruption made discussion of the issue difficult.
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On May 11th, Robin Nunn '99, a member of both SA and the Executive Committee of the Afro-American Society, blitzed a letter to the entire SA, as well as the Afro-American Society Executive Committee, detailing her views of the events that occurred at the meeting two weeks prior. She felt that LaValle's actions from the April 29th meeting were not appropriately handled.
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During the SA meeting on May 12th, LaValle was asked to make a formal apology to the Assembly. Instead of an apology, he simply made a statement clarifying his position in the earlier meetings, but refused to step down from his position as Treasurer or to apologize for his comments.
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On May 13th, James Gallo '99, President of La Alianza Latina, blitzed the SA Executive Committee and expressed his discontent with the way in which the situation had been addressed up to that point in time.
We were very disappointed at the amount of time that had elapsed before the matter was formally addressed. On numerous occasions, it seemed as if LaValle was clearly in violation of the Principle of Community, as well as Dartmouth's alcohol policy. We feel that two weeks and two letters should not have been necessary to bring the seriousness of this matter to the SA Execs attention. Many students of color, in particular, were shocked and disheartened to hear that a fellow student would refer to them as "colored" and not be disciplined by the president, vice president, or parliamentarian of The Assembly. The Assembly is comprised of a group of students who are supposed to be reflective of our diverse student body. However, the mere fact that the term was used at all is a sign that issues of respect at Dartmouth have not yet reached every member of this campus.
The Student Assembly Executive Committee has exonerated LaValle. This is a sign of the ineffectiveness in properly enforcing the Principle of Community in the Student Assembly. While LaValle's actions may have been exonerated by the Executive Committee of the Student Assembly, it is a disgrace that an executive officer of the Student Assembly would use the term "colored" and would attend a meeting intoxicated. We wish that the few actions that have been taken were taken earlier, more efficiently and forcefully, and with greater attention paid to the groups campus-wide that were affected by LaValle's comments and behavior.
