Recent interviews have revealed an environment of difficulty, discomfort, and fear in McNutt Hall’s offices as accusations of ignoring sexual misconduct put Dartmouth administration higher-ups in the uncomfortable position of hearing about sexual misconduct. Said Dean Richards, “I wish that students would think twice before creating a culture where it is okay to send explicit emails to administrators filled with details of sexual misconduct experienced by the students we promised to protect.”
These feelings were echoed by Vice-Dean of Faculty Cara Sanford. “We have to ask ourselves as a community if it’s okay that powerful members of our community are being subjected to hearing about the sexually violent and coercive actions other powerful members of our community committed upon basically powerless students.”
Some administrators also blamed local media. As student advisor Colin Short put it, “Ever since I spoke to the D about this, I have received email after email saying I haven’t done or cared enough about this issue. Can you imagine being attacked by a deluge of strangers calling you dishonest and deserving of your difficulties just for speaking to the press?”
Other members of the administration were more reflective. Assistant Student Coordinator Bill Tyson had this to say: “I tried to read the whole lawsuit but it was hard to get through. It’s kind of rough. Oof. Did not like.” His secretary Chris Lang added, “Why can’t the plaintiffs not put us through this discomfort and difficulty for their own gratification? What kind of amoral, bottom-line focused, ambivalent, and downright uncaring institution is okay with saving face just to placate a few people who are willfully harming others?”
At press time, members of the administration continued not to understand systemic, historical issues that damage marginalized communities while working in buildings named after slave owners.
– OK ’21
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