To: James E. Wright, James A. Larimore, Joann Harper, Barry P. Scherr

In light of the turnout today at Parkhurst, in the middle of finals, I think that you can see that the campus feels strongly about the swimming decision, and the larger issue of an inclusion of students in the decision making process.

In light of recent developments, namely the swimming team's discovery of a number of alums willing to donate the money needed to permanently endow the program, I think it is even more necessary for you all to reverse this decision.  There is now a complete financial solution to this financial problem presented by the budget cuts. This was THE motivating factor behind your decision to eliminate the swimming and diving teams.

Yet from listening to what the swimmers recount regarding their conversations with you, namely Josie, and from hearing what you, Jim Larimore, had to say today in Parkhurst, it seems that you all are in fact intent on sticking to your decision. This is the wrong thing to do...for a number of reasons.

1. As the money has been found to solve this financial problem, the effort on your part to maintain the dictate in the face of this money is making you all seem stubborn. Stubbornness is not a valued trait to have in people in positions of administrative power.

2. The presence of this money is now widely known, not only throughout the student body and the Dartmouth community, but also on a national level, through major outlets like the NYTimes, Boston Globe, Chicago Sun Times, ESPN, and due to their presence their today, the Associated Press.  Paul Schned just told me that CNN wants to have the swim captains sit down with Josie in front of a reporter on Monday.

3. As any rational person can see, the problem has been solved. The audience that the above outlets reach is in the millions. These are rational people who will be able to understand that it is your unwillingness to admit that you are wrong, even in the face-saving situation where you could say that the money needed for a swim endowment has been found, that is averting an end to this situation.

4. Dartmouth, and this hurts me to realize because my love for this place and its people is profound, will continue to be pilloried in the press. Not only will you all look bad, but we as an institution will look bad and will continue to look even worse. This has implications beyond just what it will do to alumni donations, but what it will do to Dartmouth's reputation and indeed even rankings, as a conceivable effect will be to lessen the number of applications to the school.

The hurt that you are causing, not just to the swimmers or students but to our reputation as a whole, has the potential to last for years to come. All because you are unwilling to go back on a decision that was made in haste, secrecy, and surrounded by an air of deception. Please let's avert any further damage to this institution. Do what's right: Reinstate the swimming team as an endowed sport. By not doing so you continue to let down this institution as a whole.

Miles Harrigan