Open Letter April 7 2009

April 7th, 2009
Open Letter

Professors of Hamilton College,

The students assembled here are concerned not only about Delta Phi’s invitation to “Mexican Night,” but also about the administration’s response to our concerns. The passivity and neutrality of the administration’s response polarized the student body and increased the hostility we face here every day. We ask you, as our professors, to take the time at today’s meeting to address this issue, to hold the administration accountable, and to facilitate the forward movement of our community.

A number of concerned students who felt hurt and targeted by the Delta Phi’s invitation to “Mexican Night” issued a complaint to the administration. We pointed out that the party violated the second section of the Code of Student Conduct which states: “Respect for Others: Community members are encouraged to treat all people with respect without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender or gender identity, sexual or affectional orientation, political view, physical abilities, age or intelligence. Such respect for one another promotes free and open inquiry, independent thought and mutual understanding.” We therefore asked that the party be cancelled and, even more important, that the administration “begin to pursue appropriate response via the Judicial Board.”

We were shocked by Acting President Urgo’s initial response in which he requested “that those who have cited the offensive nature of the image disseminated by Delta Phi meet with members of the fraternity to discuss the image and its effect on the community.” It is inappropriate and insensitive to require those subjected to harassment and hatred, especially when they are concerned for their personal safety (which we were), to explain to the purported perpetrator their perceived wrong. Rather, as the college’s harassment and sexual misconduct procedures suggest, we expected an officer of the school to meet with us and then begin an investigation.

Acting President Urgo has not, even now, initiated the proper procedures. Instead, he has simply changed the subject. His all-campus email “Community Dialogue” dilutes the discussion of our specific complaint to a generic discussion of “the ways in which social events are advertised” and of routine “vulgarity and insensitivity.” The email further suggests that we, as complainants, are the main hindrance to the dialogue.

The email did not allude to any action on the administration’s part in response to our complaint other than quoting the apology issued by the fraternity. When asked how he planned to move forward on the complaint Acting President Urgo answered simply and entirely “Robyn, have you seen the all campus email that went out this morning?” We view the refusal to address our individual complaints as an act of disrespect and feel disillusioned with an institution that purports commitment to its students.

Although we agree with Acting President Urgo that “failure to conduct open, face-to-face dialogue only polarizes us,” we feel that the way he uses it in his email and in individual conversations with us targets us as the source of the problems rather than the victims.

While extremely disappointed and disillusioned with the response of our administration, we would like to thank the many professors, students, and staff who gave up their Saturday night to join us in speaking out against hatred and ignorance at Hamilton.

We hope that you share our concerns and believe that you, as professors, should lead the discussion of the invitation and the response of the administration, and initiate the movement forward. The administration has proven to us their inability to host this conversation and their suggestion that Delta Phi “take the lead in fostering a discussion” is profoundly disrespectful.

Please take the time today to pass a motion laying concrete plans for moving forward. We hope that you, either as a body, a group of individuals, or with the aid of an outside organization, will facilitate some event and further discussion that addresses these issues by the end of the semester.

Thank you,

Corinne Bancroft
As one of the Concerned Students