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Friday, November 30, 2007

A Letter From Salisbury University (Damage Control)

Dear members of the campus community,

Many of you will soon learn of allegations against one of our teacher education students. Details concerning these allegations and charges are still developing and I want to assure the campus community that we will keep you informed to the extent possible as additional information is made available. Moreover, I want to reassure you that the University takes allegations such as these very seriously, and will take appropriate and timely action to ensure the safety of our campus and the broader community.

Salisbury University holds every one of our students to the highest standards of conduct. Students preparing for careers in teaching or any other profession are expected to adhere to a code of professional ethics, and to represent the University with honor and integrity. The allegations surrounding this matter will challenge the campus community in a deep and profound way. We are committed to preparing our students to lead responsible lives that best reflect good citizenship and moral character.

Moving forward, as information about this situation unfolds I encourage each of you to seek support through friends, peers, faculty or staff. Additionally, members of the Salisbury University Counseling Center staff will be available to anyone requiring additional support. I know many of you will need to remain focused on important work and exams in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, I am confident that the true sense of our character and strength as a community will safely guide us through this difficult time.


Dr. Ellen J. Neufeldt
Vice President for Student Affairs
Salisbury University
1101 Camden Avenue
Salisbury, MD 21801
Phone 410-543-6080

8 comments:

honestaby said...

Dr. Ellen, I find your letter shallow and hypocritical. You are portraying the University & the campus as the victims? How about the ABUSED STUDENTS. How about extending counseling to them & their families - How about appologizing to these young students, their families & the community.

Anonymous said...

SU can't be held accoutable for what a student does.

Anonymous said...

Why not joes goes after where volly firefighetr give service. Whats the difference?

Anonymous said...

What a joke, just like they held Janet Dudley accountable for her perverted MySpace pictures.

Anonymous said...

Counseling for the campus community? Why would anyone on campus need counseling other than the intern they placed at Pittsville Elementary and Middle schools? She needs more than legal counsel if she finds a 14 year old boy sexually attractive.

"Salisbury University holds every one of our students to the highest standards of conduct."

Does this standard apply to all those partying over at the zoo or in the Camden neighborhoods?

I find this letter to be exactly what Joe called it, damage control. She is telling the campus community to get their ducks in a row because the law is coming to do their investigation.

Anonymous said...

In sudan they gave a teacher 15 days for naming a teddybear Mohamad. I wonder what they would have done to this girl?

Anonymous said...

I am a SU student and actually am currently enrolled in a class in which the student accused of these crimes was also in. I find this letter to be very deceiving becuase when we (students) ask our teachers about the incident they said they are not supposed to talk about it.. I think they are trying to put it off because we only have 1 week of regularly scheduled classes left. I for one feel that it is my right to be able to ask questions and receive information from my advisors and teachers.
Also I would like to say that while my sympathies do go out to the victions and their families and all those affiliated with the Pittsville school, I feel that this girl has tainted SU's reputation and made all of us look bad. I am also currently doing an internship in Wicomico County and feel as though it has given a bad name to all of the student interns. We rely heavily on the public school systems in this area in order to learn what is necessary to become great teachers. It would be horrible for someone who obviously is not interested in positively affecting children's lives to ruin the opportunity for those of us who take this job and helping children very seriously.

Tim Chaney said...

Looks like their class may need to add further emphasis on ethics, moral conduct, verbal/sexual harassment and the consequences of their actions.