Editorial A right to know (May 4)

Author: [no author name found]

This is a special edition featuring Middlebury Campus coverage of the Delta House investigations and suspension decision. The following editorial is a reprint from May 4.

In light of charges pressed upon members of the Duke University lacrosse team, which have resulted in much chaos on campus and hyped-up media coverage but no resolution as of yet, a cautious approach to disseminating information about Middlebury's own sexual assault case is understandable.

However, in a well-intentioned effort to protect the privacy of those involved, the administration seems to have eliminated any potential communication with the student body about the incident.

The idea of encouraging the community to be tight-lipped in an attempt to squelch rumors surrounding the allegations is inherently counterproductive. In a small environment like Middlebury, excessive confidentiality often breeds curiosity and misguided speculation.

Because the case is so sensitive, Old Chapel was initially in the right to avoid the traditional all-campus e-mail approach to communication when the severity of the allegations first became known.

By publishing the date, location and disposition of the reported sexual assaults in the Public Safety Log the same week the alleged rapes were reported and releasing an annual crime report, the College has ensured its adherence to the 1986 Clery Act. The federal legislation named in memory of rape and murder victim and Lehigh University student Jane Clery requires colleges and universities to disclose information about crimes on their campuses in a timely manner with the goal of increasing awareness of potential risks.

As the investigations progress on and off campus and the circumstances surrounding the alleged sexual assaults presumably grow clearer, the College should strive to circulate as much relevant, accurate information as possible about the allegations keeping the spirit of the Clery Act in mind. This information should be supplemented by basic information detailing the resources available to rape victims and the College's own recently revised sexual assault policy.

Conveying accurate information that can dispel rampant rumors would be much more productive than promoting secrecy and thereby adding fuel to the speculative fire.