Norwich bulletin., 1917-05-03
VIGOROUS ATTACK ON
CONN. COLLEGE TRUSTEES.
Students Say ths.1Board Has isnored
Their Rights.


The committee Of the board OF trus-
tee have given their report Of the
hearing for Professor Sykes, says the
Connecticut College News. published
for and by the students of the college.
The report and the subsequent act of
the board OF trustees of the collage are
facts well known to US all But the
question still unanswered in the minds
Of many people is. Why is President
sykes being remoyed?' This question
has not been satisfactorily answered
either by the reports that have come
out in the daily papers or by the tfus-
tees in their statement to the student
council several weeks ago.
The charges that. have. been made
against DIR. Sykes have been either so
Indefinite, and non-countttal as to
convey no clear idea of the grounds
for the accusation or have. been on
matters of minor Importance. mere
personal differences, which 1t seems
called for no such drastic action as has
been taken,
we cannot but realize that the in
tention of the board of trustees was to
dismiss our president without even the
Usual formal proceedings. The hear
ing that was granted him was granted
board of trustees that was brought to
bear upon the, situation. We will ad-
NIT that the granting of any hearing
by the trustees. gave a falrer appear
much the one given really meant to the
parties interested and it's true value as
a hearing. many people are in dou ot
We are proud to know that DIR. Sykes
refused to accept the invitation of the
trustees ito slip away when he was
asked to resign. Instead he chose to
stand, as a man should, and face any
charges that could be brought against
him. We honor him for this and ap-
preciate what the stand that he, took
meant for the Connecticut college of
the future.
The hearing being private and repre-
sentatives of the student body being
debarred as witnesses, all that we
know of 1t is the statement made by
the committee OF Investigation at the
meeting of the trustees on the 18th of
A pril. In that statement no reasons
for the decision are given in detail, nor
are any of the charges preferred by
Dr. Sykes refuted. with the exception
of the question of a certain coal deal
which was treated at some length.
The situation Is, then, that from the
statements made by DIR. Sykes and
members of the board of trustees, we
can see no just cause for the present
state of affairs. The evidence that has
been given us as students and the de-
eision of the board OF trustees seems
irreconcilable. If we are in possession
of all the facts, we feel that a great
and good man Is being unjustly treat
ed. The trustees have admitted that as
isfactory. They can bring no charges
against his moral character. His bust
ness Inability is the cause of the trou-
BILE, they say. We ask for proofs that
shall be sufficient to depose him from
the presidency.
AS thinking, reasoning individuals
who are vitality affected by the con-
troversy (for it the last analysis It is
only for and because Of the students
that a college exists), we must make a
decision. And having made orr de-
cision. we must stand for it until con-
WINGED that we are wrong. If the trus-
tees can tell US anything which would
alter the aspect OF the situation, and
about which they have Been silent, let
them speak and tell Us and never again
state that there Is more that might be
said, without saying it. We ask them
only to show the confidence in US in
dealing with this matter that DIR.
Sykes has always shown in the student
body. We feel that our position and
rights the first students Of the col
lege have been ignored by the trus-
tees