The following email was sent on February 25, 2024
From: Dean of the College Scott Brown
Subject: Meeting follow-up
Thank you for meeting on Friday with Provost Kotz, Vice President Wolfe, and me. Let me reiterate and restate the items we discussed and steps we are taking, and what you pledged to do, as a result of our discussion.
- We have posted a statement on the Student Affairs website regarding Dartmouth's position on charges stemming from the Oct. 27, 2023 trespassing arrests.
- I have followed up separately with [certain individuals] regarding threats that they mentioned at our meeting they have received.
- You will be able to meet with Josh Keniston, chair of the Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility, to discuss your concerns regarding the endowment. Part of this meeting will be a discussion of how Dartmouth arrives at "consensus" on these matters.
- We welcome your input and look forward to arranging a time for a specific discussion about Dartmouth's policies regarding free expression.
- We are reviewing the New Deal and look forward to further discussion with you and other concerned students before the end of the current academic year. We can provide an agenda before meeting on this to enable productive discussion.
As you know, the first special topic series in Dartmouth Dialogues initiative is Middle East Dialogues and includes a webinar series and public forums on the Politics of Israel and Palestine. The Dialogue Project has brought a number of speakers to campus, including a Palestinian and Jewish writing and podcasting team and internationally known Mideast scholars with a range of perspectives on Palestine and Israel.
It is also the case that since October, our faculty in Middle Eastern Studies and Jewish Studies have held discussions, classes, and been cited nationally as experts on collaborative dialogue on challenging issues.
Palestinian students at Dartmouth are valued members of our community and we know they, and you, are hurting. That many members of our community are hurting. As President Beilock has said, Islamophobia—as well as antisemitism and any other form of hate—have no place on our campus.
I know our conversation on Friday was challenging, and there are areas in which we disagree; however, all of us care very deeply about you, your experience, and your success at Dartmouth. I look forward to working with you, in dialogue and through action, to support all in our community during these very difficult times.
Warmly,
Scott C. Brown
Dean of the College