To the Editor:
On February 4, 1998, Dean of the College Lee Pelton wrote a Letter to the Editor informing the College community about a fact-finding panel, requested by Proctor McEwen, that I was asked to convene. The panel was convened following our receipt of a complaint by an undergraduate about the way he was treated by two Dartmouth Security officers and a Hanover Police officer when they responded to a situation in French Hall on January 31, 1998. The panel was chaired by Ozzie Harris, Acting Director of the Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Office and included Professor Deborah Nichols, Assistant Provost Sheila Culbert and Noah Phillips '00.
It was asked to establish factually what transpired in the interactions between the two Dartmouth Security officers and the undergraduates present. The panel met with all the principal parties to that interaction and other witnesses that were willing to meet with the panel, and it reviewed other available information. I received the panel's report March 9.
I have shared and reviewed the report with Dean Pelton and with Proctor McEwen. I have also discussed with McEwen actions that he will be taking within the Department of Safety and Security in response to issues raised by the incident and the information in the panel's report. I have also written about the report to the two students principally involved.
The facts identified in the report lead me to conclude that the situation escalated further than anyone involved would have wished. I am also led to conclude that the situation might well have been considerably less difficult and less confrontational had the two Dartmouth Security officers and the two students principally involved conducted themselves differently.
Students and employees at the College are entitled to a greater degree of respect and civility from one another than was demonstrated on this occasion. Security officers in particular have a professional responsibility not to let their actions and language reflect their frustration with a difficult encounter.
I am impressed by the respect and civility that characterizes most of the interactions between students and Dartmouth Security officers. I am pleased with how the Proctor is addressing these issues with his staff, and I trust that all parties to the incident have had an opportunity to reflect and learn as a result of the experience.
