`Monologues' performance nets officers reprimand
By MIKE CONNOLLY
News Writer
College President Marilou Eldred sent a letter to Campus Alliance for Rape Elimination officers Wednesday requesting a letter of apology to the Board of Trustees for their individual involvement in a student reading of "The Vagina Monologues" Feb. 19.
CARE officers Ang Romano, Emily Koelsch, Julie Frischkorn and Katie Poynter may have been singled out for punishment because they wrote a letter to the Board of Trustees with Eldred's permission. In that letter, the officers outlined why they believe the "Monologues" should be performed. They also wrote: "The [C]ollege has decided it will not support a performance of "The Vagina Monologues" this year, and out of respect for this college, we will abide by that decision."
In Eldred's letter to CARE officers, she wrote that the Board of Trustees felt deceived by an alleged discrepancy between their letter to the Board and the students' actions.
"At a recent meeting of the Board of Trustees, members were dismayed that they were blatantly misled by your letter," she wrote.
None of the other students who participated in the reading of the play have received a letter from Eldred. Approximately 20 students, including athletes, student government members, Feminist Collective members and Student Diversity Board members participated in the reading, according to CARE officers.
"She has refused to acknowledge that anyone but CARE could have organized this," said Cassie Carrigan, a student who participated in the reading but did not receive a letter from Eldred.
Eldred decreed earlier this year that CARE could not sponsor the "Monologues" and said the four officers participation in the reading constituted "overt support" for the reading. The officers said they promised Eldred that CARE would not sponsor the readings of the play but did not promise it would not be performed at the College.
"It was made very, very clear [at a meeting between the officers and Eldred] that students might take the initiative to put on the play," Frischkorn said. Frischkorn said the four officers never said they would not participate in an independent reading of the play as individual students.
The officers claim they were not the organizers of the reading, only participants.
"We weren't the ringleaders of the reading," Poynter said. "We were just people involved in the reading."
Eldred alerted the Saint Mary's community Wednesday in an e-mail explaining her reasons for taking disciplinary action against alleged organizers.
"Last month my decision was disregarded, the students broke their word not to perform the play, and the play was performed," she wrote. "I find this lack of respect for me, the administration, members of the Board of Trustees and for many of our campus colleagues quite serious."
Eldred requested in her letter to CARE officers that the students write a letter of apology to the Board of Trustees and deliver it to the Office of the President by 4 p.m. Friday. If they do not write this letter, they will be placed on College probation. This probation will not affect their academic status but will not allow the four seniors to graduate in "good disciplinary standing."
By not writing the letter, Eldred said the officers will violate a clause in the handbook stating "It is expected that students will show respect for all College employees and will comply with their reasonable requests when acting in their official job capacity."
The officers had not decided if they would write the letter on Wednesday night.
In a later e-mail from Eldred Wednesday, CARE officers learned that if they were placed on probation, they could only appeal to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. Normal punishments can be appealed through Student Affairs and then to the president. Because this punishment will originate from the president, it can only be appealed to the higher authority of the Board of Trustees.
Eldred's decision to punish the officers of CARE came as a surprise to student body president Crissie Renner. Renner met with Eldred on Feb. 26 to discuss the "Monologues" but, according to Renner, Eldred had no comment because she said the issue was closed. Renner believes Eldred's letter and e-mail re-open the issue.
"That is what is so ironic," Renner said. "They are rehashing the issue."
Repeated attempts to contact Eldred for comment Wednesday evening were unsuccessful.
All News Stories for Monday, March 19, 2001
