Tutor Resigns Dunster Post

A resident tutor in Dunster House said early yesterday she has resigned in protest of a threat from two other resident tutors to sue her for slander and libel.

The announcement came on the same day Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles expressed "concern" about the reappearance of a tutor conflict at Dunster House.

Sophie A. Volpp '85, a resident tutor for two years in East Asian Languages and Civilizations, is the third tutor to resign from Dunster House in protest in the past four months.

Volpp, who officially left last Tuesday, was one of eight tutors who said Vincent W. Li '87 may have influenced the house master in the hirings of his brother Dr. William W. Li '84, and three longtime friends.

Two weeks ago, Richard A. Brown '86, lawyer for Vincent and William Li, sent six tutors a letter threatening to sue if they took "any further actions to propagate false and professionally damaging information."

In her resignation letter to House Master Karel F. Liem, Volpp wrote that she had hoped that last May's events had blown over and that she had wanted to continue serving as a tutor.

"Unfortunately," she wrote, "the letter from Vincent and William Li's `attorney' has convinced me there is little hope of resuscitating a cooperative environment."

Liem did not return repeated phone calls made yesterday and last week. Acting Senior Tutor Mark Mueller refused to comment on the situation.

But in an interview yesterday morning, Knowles said that both he and Jewett are looking into recent student and tutor concerns in the house.

"I am staying close to what is being done," Knowles said. "And I know there is intense discussion going on with the twin goals of calming the waters and ensuring support for Dunster residents."

Sources said one tutor has filed a formal grievance with Knowles. The dean did notcomment on the grievance yesterday.

Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 saidyesterday he has been meeting with Liem to"resolve problems that may exist." He refused tocomment further.

In a telephone interview early yesterdaymorning, Volpp said she felt "shocked," "angry"and "threatened" by the letter.

"The clear purpose of the letter was tointimidate, threaten, and cause insecurity," shesaid. "It seemed clearly a bluff. But it was abluff so transparent that I felt it wasinsulting."

Volpp wrote that the timing of the letter was"absurd" and calculated to cause "maximum damageon the community."

Although she said she was sorry to leaveDunster, Volpp "chose to resign because I justfelt in order to function at 100 percent in thatsituation I would have to pour in 200 percent ofenergy. It is a very unstable environment for me."

Volpp and about four other tutors spoke toJewett two weeks ago after receiving the letter.

"Jewett was very reassuring," said SandeepBaliga, a former resident tutor in economics whoreceived a letter from the lawyer for the Librothers. "He didn't feel anything we had done orsaid was slanderous or libelous."

Volpp said Jewett "was concerned that we havegood legal advice."

Jewett refused to comment on the meeting.

But Volpp, who along with seven other tutorsmet with Jewett about Dunster matters twice lastyear, said she thought the administration couldhave done more to improve the situation atDunster. She would not elaborate.

Other tutors who received the letter alsoexpressed outrage this week.

"They have no case whatsoever," said CynthiaPalmer, a Dunster resident tutor in law whoresigned last year. "The standard they would haveto prove is incredibly high. The letter wascompletely counter-productive."

"I thought it was very funny," said Baliga, aformer resident tutor in economics. "Then it mademe angry. I felt as if I were being forced to shutup."

And one tutor who received the letter worriedthat the Li brothers had gone too far.

"I am concerned they are so paranoid and feelin such a corner that they are doing this," saidAustin Lin, a nonresident tutor in computerscience who resigned last May. "I find thatdisturbing."

Many of the tutors who have left the housesince last spring said they made the rightdecision.

"I'm extremely glad to get out of DunsterHouse," said Baliga, who is returning to Englandto teach at Cambridge University. "It's a terribleplace to live from the point of a tutor."

Some also questioned the credentials of Brown,the lawyer for the Li brothers. Brown, whoreceived his law degree from Boston University in1989, is registered to practice law only in NewYork. Brown said in a 1991 reunion brochure thathe was specializing in international law.

Some tutors also said they thought Brown andthe Li brothers were friends from college. Allthree lived in Leverett House as undergraduates.

Volpp's resignation so early in the year willallow for the first test of Liem's new tutorhiring policy. According to the policy, anadvisory board of seven people will narrow downapplications for the position.

Some, including Professor of MicrobiologyEdmund C.C. Lin, have criticized the committee asunbalanced. Six of the seven people on thecommittee are male and only one is in a professorin the humanities.

Liem, whose wife is a member of the committee,is chair, and Vincent Li is the secretary. Dr.Dana Ono, an affiliate of Dunster House and aformer dissertation advisee of Liem's for sixyears, is another member of the committee.

Knowles said yesterday the new tutor selectionprocess was among the issues he was examining."There are a number of things which if I were astudent might concern me," Knowles said of the newprocess.

Jewett said yesterday he has discussed the newpolicy with Liem and said "the process may evolveand change over time." Although he said Liem was"very open to suggestions," Jewett said no changeswould be made this year.

Volpp will continue serving as house librarian,staffing the library for 10 to 15 hours a week,until a new tutor is selected.

Alessandra M. Galloni and Anna D. Wildeinterviewed Knowles for this report.

Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 saidyesterday he has been meeting with Liem to"resolve problems that may exist." He refused tocomment further.

In a telephone interview early yesterdaymorning, Volpp said she felt "shocked," "angry"and "threatened" by the letter.

"The clear purpose of the letter was tointimidate, threaten, and cause insecurity," shesaid. "It seemed clearly a bluff. But it was abluff so transparent that I felt it wasinsulting."

Volpp wrote that the timing of the letter was"absurd" and calculated to cause "maximum damageon the community."

Although she said she was sorry to leaveDunster, Volpp "chose to resign because I justfelt in order to function at 100 percent in thatsituation I would have to pour in 200 percent ofenergy. It is a very unstable environment for me."

Volpp and about four other tutors spoke toJewett two weeks ago after receiving the letter.

"Jewett was very reassuring," said SandeepBaliga, a former resident tutor in economics whoreceived a letter from the lawyer for the Librothers. "He didn't feel anything we had done orsaid was slanderous or libelous."

Volpp said Jewett "was concerned that we havegood legal advice."

Jewett refused to comment on the meeting.

But Volpp, who along with seven other tutorsmet with Jewett about Dunster matters twice lastyear, said she thought the administration couldhave done more to improve the situation atDunster. She would not elaborate.

Other tutors who received the letter alsoexpressed outrage this week.

"They have no case whatsoever," said CynthiaPalmer, a Dunster resident tutor in law whoresigned last year. "The standard they would haveto prove is incredibly high. The letter wascompletely counter-productive."

"I thought it was very funny," said Baliga, aformer resident tutor in economics. "Then it mademe angry. I felt as if I were being forced to shutup."

And one tutor who received the letter worriedthat the Li brothers had gone too far.

"I am concerned they are so paranoid and feelin such a corner that they are doing this," saidAustin Lin, a nonresident tutor in computerscience who resigned last May. "I find thatdisturbing."

Many of the tutors who have left the housesince last spring said they made the rightdecision.

"I'm extremely glad to get out of DunsterHouse," said Baliga, who is returning to Englandto teach at Cambridge University. "It's a terribleplace to live from the point of a tutor."

Some also questioned the credentials of Brown,the lawyer for the Li brothers. Brown, whoreceived his law degree from Boston University in1989, is registered to practice law only in NewYork. Brown said in a 1991 reunion brochure thathe was specializing in international law.

Some tutors also said they thought Brown andthe Li brothers were friends from college. Allthree lived in Leverett House as undergraduates.

Volpp's resignation so early in the year willallow for the first test of Liem's new tutorhiring policy. According to the policy, anadvisory board of seven people will narrow downapplications for the position.

Some, including Professor of MicrobiologyEdmund C.C. Lin, have criticized the committee asunbalanced. Six of the seven people on thecommittee are male and only one is in a professorin the humanities.

Liem, whose wife is a member of the committee,is chair, and Vincent Li is the secretary. Dr.Dana Ono, an affiliate of Dunster House and aformer dissertation advisee of Liem's for sixyears, is another member of the committee.

Knowles said yesterday the new tutor selectionprocess was among the issues he was examining."There are a number of things which if I were astudent might concern me," Knowles said of the newprocess.

Jewett said yesterday he has discussed the newpolicy with Liem and said "the process may evolveand change over time." Although he said Liem was"very open to suggestions," Jewett said no changeswould be made this year.

Volpp will continue serving as house librarian,staffing the library for 10 to 15 hours a week,until a new tutor is selected.

Alessandra M. Galloni and Anna D. Wildeinterviewed Knowles for this report.