We, as Connecticut College alumni, believe it is crucial to enact full participation due to not only the resignation of the Dean of Institutional Equity & Inclusion (DIEI), but the lack of institutional support to the Division of Institutional Equity and Inclusion that has been brought to light amidst the rising tensions present on campus. Full participation is not just for the Division of Institutional Equity and Inclusion, but rather work all members of the community must take on.

As alumni, we believe it is crucial to show our support of and solidarity with the current student body as they demand more of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and the Cabinet administrators. We support the Occupy Conn Coll 2023 movement unconditionally.

We acknowledge the truth that current students shared on social media describing the following:

Dean King has resigned as Dean of Institutional Equity & Inclusion (DIEI) in protest of actions of Katherine Bergeron. KB chose to host a fundraising event at the Everglades Club - a notoriously anti-Black and antisemitic social club. Despite knowing the history, KB ignored Dean King’s warning and told him to prepare a statement in defense of this choice. By these actions, KB aligned our institution with HATE. KB canceled the event within 24 hours of its scheduled start in fear of community backlash. Our marginalized communities are suffering - DIEI is overworked, underpaid, and constantly disrespected. KB has shown that our humanity means nothing. CONN COLLEGE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT ITS BLACK AND JEWISH STUDENTS so long as KB serves as President. Dean King is a man of integrity, and we will not let you tarnish his name. 

The President of the College, Katherine Bergeron, communicated to the members of the campus community that she was “saddened and shocked” in reaction to this resignation. So far she has proven herself unable and unwilling to fully commit to solving the issues facing Connecticut College. 

We as alumni will no longer be pacified with surface level responses that do nothing to address the problem. We are appalled by the toxic work environment that has contributed to the resignation of Dean Rodman King from his role serving a community he truly cared about. We need accountability of our College leaders who must remove any affinity to hate, racism, and inequality, and the immediate removal of Katherine Bergeron as president of Connecticut College. 

It is a despicable embarrassment to have our alma mater see so many BIPOC staff and faculty members leave due to the unjust and toxic working environment. White supremacy will always prevail when the leader of this College lacks the proper cultural competencies to understand the nuances of discrimination, diversity, and leadership. It is clear that this failure is not an example of an isolated incident, but rather one that highlights a historical precedent of her actions during her presidency (2014-2023). There is no other way forward than for the president to take full accountability for the actions that have led us here. She chose to push forward with an event that would directly position our school against the values we claim to uphold. 

The Connecticut College alumni who agree with the mission of the student body, CCSRE, DIEI, and other members of the campus community are here listening, talking, and demanding. This must be an active movement that never ceases in conversation nor in action. We are all concerned, disheartened, and disappointed by the blatant disregard for the critical work students, faculty, staff, and alumni engage in to uphold the values of institutional equity and inclusion in higher education.

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