Letter sent May 3, 2008 to all students:
Dear Students:
I am writing to express my concerns about the newly launched Web site, Middlebury Confessional, and to tell you what many of you already know—that the derogatory, highly personal comments that have appeared on this forum are at odds with the values of Middlebury College.
For those of you unfamiliar with Middlebury Confessional, it is an independent Web site with no official connection whatsoever to the College. Still, it invites members of our community to share observations and thoughts that they would ordinarily keep to themselves. Although much of the commentary on this forum seems to have been written with good intentions, many posts, written under the guise of anonymity, target specific individuals and groups. These "confessions" are presumably aimed at revealing truths that could bring students together, but in this context they actually have the opposite effect.
Educational communities like ours are built on trust and mutual respect. Thus, I urge all Middlebury students to exercise good judgment and refrain from personal attacks when posting on this forum.
Finally, with regard to the free speech rights implicit in this matter, I should note that the College has no interest in censoring student speech. However, the College does have an interest in fostering an atmosphere in which all members of the College feel free to participate in the open exchange of ideas so vital to an academic community. If you have any questions about the policies governing "verbal conduct" at the College, please consult the Handbook, especially the passage included below.
Sincerely,
Tim Spears
Middlebury College is a community of learners and as such recognizes and affirms that free, honest intellectual inquiry, debate, and constructive dialogue are vital to the academic mission of the College and must be protected even when the views expressed are unpopular or controversial. Middlebury College also recognizes, however, that verbal conduct can be used specifically to intimidate or coerce and to inhibit genuine discourse, free inquiry, and learning. Such abuses are unacceptable. If someone believes that another's speech or writing is offensive, wrong, or hurtful, he or she is encouraged to express that judgment in the exercise of his or her own freedom of speech or to seek redress when appropriate.
Handbook Sexual Harassment Policy
How to Address Concerns about Middlebury Confessional