To the Editor:
As a relative newcomer, having arrived only last July, I have spent the past several months forming an understanding of this unique place called Dartmouth College. As part of this learning process, I have attempted to identify the core values that attracted me, and presumably many of you, to this College. While exploring these issues consumes many hours, I have used my spare time coordinating the efforts of a great many people in the Office of Residential Life. I have learned to appreciate Blitzmail, absorb countless reports and anxiously await the next phone call from a D reporter. While these may appear to be diversions from my stated task, I have actually found them to be very instructive. One thing that my forty five years of experience has taught me is that what individuals do is generally more telling than what they say.
One of the core values that attracted me to Dartmouth is the College Principle of Community. In my experience, I have found very few colleges willing to so clearly state the core values and expectations of membership in their community. The Principle of Community states that student lives and their work should be based upon integrity, responsibility and consideration. The Principle goes on to state that each student is expected to be sensitive to and respectful of the rights and interests of others and to be personally honest. These are eloquent statements in that the simplicity of words allow for a common understanding by all. All other documents that I have read seem to flow from this common set of expectations.
So what is the point to this article, where am I going with this? Unfortunately, some of the items that take up my spare time suggest that we have lost sight of these values. Recent reports across my desk suggest that what most communities call "breaking and entering" and "theft" seem to be on the increase in recent terms. In case anyone forgot, we have standards of conduct that do not condone the misappropriation of or damage to personal or College policy (theft) and the unauthorized entry into private rooms or organizational facilities (breaking and entering). These standards exist to protect our privacy and our property and appear to me to relate directly to our expectation of respect of the rights and interests of others. Some of these reports describe bicycle theft or stolen CD's from student rooms. Others describe climbing up fire escapes to steal personal property, gaining access to a locked building to find a beverage or fool around and most recently theft of electronic equipment from student offices. Yet others describe organized groups entering one place to take something that belongs to another group in the name of one-ups-manship. All of these actions create victims. A Greek organization is a victim when its composite is never returned and in this instance not just the property but the history is lost. The bicycle cannot be ridden nor can the CD be played. Individuals and groups suffer a true property loss.
Unfortunately they suffer a more significant loss, that of respect and privacy. Why were their items taken, what did they do to deserve this treatment generally from their peers? How can someone call this fun? Some individuals entered my room or my house and took what they wanted. If any of you have ever been a victim you understand the feelings of disrespect and loss of privacy.
I felt the need to remind all of us that these are serious matters. The College does not condone theft or unauthorized entry and will treat violations of these standards in a serious manner. My sincere hope is that these incidents will become less of a problem within our community in the future.
