Shanty sequitur

As spring term progressed, the book was still being written on events surrounding the anti-apartheid shanties built on the Green last November.

The College's Committee on Standards held an open rehearing in late March for 10 of the 12 students involved in the January 20 destruction of the shanties. After three days of testimony and deliberations, the COS found the 10 guilty of two of three charges and retained, though reduced in duration, their suspensions. The 10 students then made a second appeal to President McLaughlin, who appointed Walter Peterson '47, president of Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, N.H., to review the case. Peterson, who was governor of New Hampshire from 1969 to 1973, spoke with nine of the 10 students and reviewed material from both hearings. Peterson's recommendation - that the suspensions of the four planners of the attack be reduced to one term, that the other six suspensions be reduced to College discipline, and that all 10 students be required to complete a public service project - was accepted by President McLaughlin.

A COS hearing was also scheduled for 22 students who briefly occupied the bell tower of Baker Library on April 11. A group of prodivestment protesters took over the tower at 6:30 p.m., issued a list of demands, and indicated their intention to remain in the tower till the demands were met. After meeting with several Trustees and administrators, who threatened them with suspension if they did not leave, the 22 students vacated the tower by 1:15 a.m. Their COS hearings were to be held April 18.

Criminal rather than College disciplinary action was taken against one student who obstructed the February 11 removal of the last shanty from the Green. Charged with assaulting a Hanover police officer, he maintained that he was merely pushed in the melee but decided not to contest the charge. He was fined $500, half suspended; given a 30-day jail term, all but seven days suspended; and given three months' unsupervised probation.

In another shanty-related matter widely reported, former Secretary of the Treasury William Simon wrote a letter to President Mc- Laughlindecrying the treatment of the shanty-bashers. Simon is not a Dartmouth alumnus, but he has described himself as "a supporter of The Review for many years." In response to Simon's three-page letter, McLaughlin said, "It is disappointing to see a man of [Simon's] stature involve himself in a college matter where he has evidently drawn conclusions based on political ideology rather than on the values of liberal learning."

The effect of the shanty- related turmoil on admissions has been of some concern. Applications for the Class of 1990 were down eight percent over last year, and black applications were down 25 percent.

To examine the issues related to respect for diversity raised by the winter's and spring's events, the College has established an ad hoc Council on Diversity, with faculty, administrative, and student members.