To the Editor:
In reading your article of April 19th, 1999 on the Trustees' next move in the social initiative, I noticed Trustee Dentzer stated, "The Board of Trustees owns the College." I have to question both the legal legitmacy and the tact with which this statement was made.
First, I am not familiar with the charter of Dartmouth College, and I should be. I was not aware however that such broad based control of the College resided in the Board. Is it legally accurate to make such a statement? Had I known that, I would have voted differently in the last round of trustee elections. I find it hard to believe that sole ownership of the college is vested in a rotating body of representatives and is explicitly stated as such in the charter, but I could certainly be wrong.
More pressing to recent issues is Dentzer's apparent lack of sophistication in regard to current student and alumni opinion. With a large group of students unhappy, and many alumni confused(yours truly included in that number), is it wise for someone who "owns" the College to make such a sweeping statement of dictatorial power? At the very least, I believe Dentzer owes the college an apology for having spoken without thought and having exacerbated the perception that the Board of Trustees has only their own interests in mind and the not the common good. It is a shame that on a campus where recent hate mailings have highlighted how understanding and thoughtful communication is needed everywhere, those "entrusted" with guiding that campus cannot be thoughtful and understanding themselves.