Hamilton College Alumni for Governance Reform

Date: 7/19/05 at 7:10PM 

Posted with permission:

an email to MJ Rosen, cc'd to JH Stewart, S Scott, R Tantillo, and J Hysell.................... ....

I was both surprised and disappointed to read in The Syracuse Post-Standard that Hamilton is "discouraging candidates for Trustee from the use of e-mail and web site links".  Vige Barrie's assertion that the College doesn't want "alumni to be overwhelmed by election e-mails" sounds a tad hollow to me.

I am not sure it was your intention to do so, but the rules you outline give one the impression that you are attempting to limit debate by candidates for Trustee of Hamilton College in order to tilt the election to candidates sanctioned by the Alumni Council.  If it was not your intention to limit avenues of communication, I strongly urge you to change the procedures.  It is not too late.

Many Alumni reading these restrictions will interpret them negatively.  People will ask why the college appears to fear open and unrestricted communication.  Why after touting freedom of speech is the College limiting speech for candidates to its own governing body?

Because of Hamilton's recent and unpleasant history, I submit that it would be very important to allow any alumni candidate unfettered access to the electorate and thereby a fair chance to be elected to the Board.

As it looks to the future, Hamilton needs to obtain the widest possible alumni representation.  The regulations, however, offer a definite "appearance" of bias by the College against those alumni that were not nominated by the Alumni Council.   I would think that Hamilton would want to encourage a lively debate by all voices, including dissenting ones, as they campaign for seats on its governing board. 

I do fear that these new regulations, if left to stand, will boomerang into more negative perceptions as Hamilton attempts, once again, to control damage caused by its own actions. Until the College tackles the problems that have been revealed in a fundamental way and ceases to rely on PR consultants to solve these issues, Hamilton College will continue to lack the confidence of all the alumni.  That is not a good thing.

May I suggest that there is still time for you to reconsider your decision and open up the process for the election of Trustees.

Gerry Sperber '67