NOTE: for information on the October, 2007, lawsuit, filed against Dartmouth by the Executive Committee of the Association of Alumni, that was voluntarily dismissed in June, 2008, click here
In the case entitled Brooks et al. v. Dartmouth, the College has filed a Motion for Summary Judgment asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit. That motion is pending. The papers filed by the College and the plaintiffs in connection with that motion are posted in the court filings area of this web site.
Brooks v. Dartmouth represents the second lawsuit challenging the Dartmouth College Board of Trustees' September 2007 decision to expand the size of the Board. The Brooks suit, filed by seven alumni, seeks to require the College to seat an equal number of trustees nominated and elected by the Board (Charter Trustees) and trustees nominated by alumni and elected by the College (Alumni Trustees).
A similar suit, brought by the executive committee of the Association of Alumni, was dismissed with prejudice in June, 2008, after an overwhelming majority of alumni voted for a new Association executive committee, which pledged to withdraw the suit.
"This new action is an effort to renew a lawsuit that the Court dismissed with prejudice last summer, barring the plaintiffs from filing it again," said Dartmouth General Counsel Robert B. Donin. "It is disappointing that these seven alumni seek to revive a lawsuit that 60% of voting alumni decided should be dropped. Dartmouth believes that this action, like its predecessor, has no merit. The lawsuit is an unnecessary drain on College resources, particularly in this economic environment, and should be withdrawn."
The College filed its response on February 3, 2009.
Court filings
Background information
Selected news coverage
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2008
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