On September 13, 2022, Ron Shaiko was removed from his his position as volunteer coach of the men's cross country team at Dartmouth College and from his role as academic advisor for the men's and women's track and field teams.

This news came as a surprise to the many Dartmouth track and cross country alums who knew and loved Ron and were grateful for the contributions he made to the program over the past two decades. Particularly distressing was the revelation in a February 1 article published in The Dartmouth that Ron had been removed for an alleged “misogynistic” attitude toward the women’s team -- an allegation we believe to be unfair and untrue.

Below, a group of alums have drafted a letter in support of Ron, which will be submitted for publication in The Dartmouth to restore Ron's good name. If you appreciate Ron and his contributions to Dartmouth track & field and cross country, please sign the petition and share it with fellow alumni/alumnae. If possible, please include your class year either as part of your signature or in a comment on the petition.

Please note that if you sign the petition, your name may be included in the list of signatures at the bottom of the letter when it is submitted to The Dartmouth.

THE LETTER

Re: Coaching changes, athlete turnover and injuries abound: Former men’s cross country and track runners expose challenges of past two years

We were saddened to read about the treatment of Ron Shaiko and his unceremonious removal from his positions with Dartmouth’s track & field and cross country teams. Ron, a respected professor in the government department for more than 20 years and former associate director at the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy, was an invaluable member of the program. His unjust removal was no way to reward someone who provided more than two decades of meritorious service to Dartmouth athletics.

Ron served as academic advisor for both the men’s and women’s track & field and cross country teams. If a test needed to be proctored for an athlete who was traveling to a race, Ron was there to do it. If an athlete needed to make arrangements with a professor to miss class or make up an assignment because of a competition, Ron was there to facilitate that conversation. He was available to help every athlete. In our observation, he always treated all of the men and women in the program with respect. The women who have signed this letter can all attest that Ron has been nothing but a kind, caring, and professional mentor for the team.

In addition, Ron served as volunteer coach for the men’s cross country team, during which he offered support in a variety of ways. Whether it was shuttling athletes to and from practices at the Northern Rail Trail, offering up a spare pair of gloves during a snowy cross country race, or sharing a word of advice before a race, Ron was a critical part of the distance program’s success over the past 20 years. Ron was there to develop men of character and to support every member of the team, from All-American to walk-on. For many of us who graduated from 2003 to 2023, it is hard to imagine Dartmouth cross country without him.

That is why his removal during the 2022-23 school year is so troubling. Getting rid of Ron accomplished nothing other than harming the members of that year’s team, who no longer benefited from his support. As alumni, we are immensely grateful for the contributions Ron made during his time with the program and are better athletes, teammates, and people because of him. Rather than tarnishing his reputation and removing him from his post, Dartmouth should be celebrating Ron Shaiko’s impact on generations of Dartmouth athletes.