Information on the Association of Alumni lawsuit against Dartmouth College

NOTE: for information on the November, 2008, lawsuit filed against Dartmouth by a group of seven alumni, click here

The New Hampshire Superior Court, on June 27, issued an order approving the joint stipulation filed by attorneys for Dartmouth College and the College's Association of Alumni voluntarily dismissing the lawsuit brought by the Association in October 2007.

The dismissal follows the recent election of the Association's new executive committee, all of whom were committed to ending the lawsuit. The eleven executive committee members were elected by a 60 percent majority, with a record 24,900 (38 percent) of Dartmouth's more than 60,000 alumni voting in the election.

The lawsuit was filed in October, 2007 after a 6-3 vote by the Association's previous executive committee. The lawsuit was opposed by the previous president of the Association, Bill Hutchinson '76, as well as the executive committee of the Alumni Council.

Read the order (187 kb PDF file)
Dartmouth statement on the termination of the lawsuit
Court filings
Background information
Selected news coverage

Court filings

2008

• Superior Court order approving Stipulation of Dismissal June 27 (187kb PDF file)
• Structuring Conference Order and Summary Statements April 1 (496kb PDF file)
• Respondent's Answer and Affirmative Defenses to Petition for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief Feb. 29 (439kb PDF file)
• Joint Notice Concerning Dartmouth Trustee Elections Feb. 14 (14kb PDF file)
• Order on the Motion to Dismiss Feb. 4 (885kb PDF file)
• Joint Notice Concerning Dartmouth Trustee Elections Jan. 17 (64kb PDF file)

2007

• Order Granting Motion of Four Dartmouth College Trustees For Leave to File Amici Curiae Statement in Support of the Alumni Association Dec. 31 (20kb PDF file)
• Letter from Bruce W. Felmly, counsel for Dartmouth, to the Clerk of Grafton County Superior Court Dec. 19 (86kb PDF file)
• Response of Respondent Trustees of Dartmouth College to Motion of Four Dartmouth College Trustees for Leave to File a Statement as Amici Curiae and to Their Statement Dec. 19 (176kb PDF file)
• Motion of Four Dartmouth College Trustees For Leave to File Amici Curiae Statement in Support of the Alumni Association Dec. 13 (216kb PDF file)
• Association of Alumni of Dartmouth College's Response to the Alumni Council's Amicus Curiae Brief Dec. 11 (2mb PDF file)
• Amici Curiae Statement of Four Dartmouth College Trusteess in Support of the Alumni Association's Petition for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief and in Opposition to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss Dec. 7 (346kb PDF file)
• Reply Memorandum of Respondent Trustees of Dartmouth College in Support of its Motion to Dismiss Dec. 7 (1.3mb PDF file)
• Order Granting Motion for Leave to File Amicus Curiae Brief by the Alumni Council in Support of Dismissal of Lawsuit Nov. 27 (32kb PDF file)
• Association of Alumni Opposition to Motion to Dismiss Nov. 16 (197kb PDF file)
• Exhibits to Association of Alumni Opposition to Motion to Dismiss Nov. 16 (11.2mb PDF file)
• Alumni Council Amicus Curiae Brief in Support of Dismissal Nov. 6 (56kb PDF file)
• Motion to Dismiss Oct. 26 (262kb PDF file)
• Opposition to Motion for Preliminary Injunction Oct. 26 (209kb PDF file)
• Memorandum in Support of Motion to Dismiss Oct. 26 (108kb PDF file)
• Exhibits to Dartmouth's Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion to Dismiss Oct. 26 (4.8mb PDF file)
• Affidavit of Robert B. Donin Oct. 26 (59kb PDF file)
• Petition for Injunctive & Declaratory Relief Oct. 3 (100 kb PDF file)
• Motion for Preliminary Injunction Oct. 3 (2.8 mb PDF file)

Background information

2008

• Statement on termination of the lawsuit against Dartmouth College June 27
• Statement by Robert B. Donin, Dartmouth General Counsel, on the court's denial of the motion to dismiss the Association of Alumni lawsuit Feb. 4
• Podcast: "Explaining the lawsuit" with Dartmouth General Counsel Robert B. Donin

2007

• Statement by Trustee Chair Ed Haldeman '70 on amici curiae filing by four Trustees Dec. 20
• Podcast: "Explaining the lawsuit" with Dartmouth General Counsel Robert B. Donin Dec. 20
• Attorneys for Dartmouth and Alumni Association reach agreements on pending motions in litigation Nov. 5
• Dartmouth asks court to dismiss lawsuit regarding recent governance changes Oct. 26
• Statement of the Association of Alumni of Dartmouth College Oct. 2 AoA blog posting, with comments
• Statement by Dartmouth President James Wright's statement Oct. 3
• Statement by Trustee Chair Charles E. Haldeman Jr. '70 Oct. 3

Selected news coverage of the alumni lawsuit

2008

• "Lawsuit against College dismissed" The Dartmouth, June 27
• "AoA moves to end its lawsuit officially" The Dartmouth, June 27
• "Dartmouth alumni group elects leaders, will end suit" Bloomberg News, June 10
• " 'Unity' slate sweeps all executive committee seats in record AoA vote" The Dartmouth, June 10
• "Board votes to 'freeze' membership until suit settles" The Dartmouth, June 9
• "AoA members differ on dealings with Board" The Dartmouth, May 9
• "Conservative org. funds lawsuit" The Dartmouth, April 25
• "Judge postpones decision on motion to dismiss lawsuit against College" The Dartmouth, Jan. 10

2007

• "Trustees file court brief against College" The Dartmouth, Dec. 15
• "Past legal decisions haunt new alumni suit" The Dartmouth, Nov. 30
• "Alumni Assoc. files latest motion in suit" The Dartmouth, Nov. 19
• "Council files amicus brief to dismiss" The Dartmouth, Nov. 12
• "Alumni withdraw prelim injunction against College" The Dartmouth, Nov. 6
• "College files motion to dismiss suit" The Dartmouth, Oct. 29
• "Something we can agree on" The Dartmouth, Oct. 29
• "Board Rights vs. Alumni Rights" Inside Higher Ed, Oct. 5
• News release by Council of the Alumni of Dartmouth College Oct. 5 (12 kb PDF file)
• "Quick Takes: Dartmouth Alumni Dispute" Inside Higher Ed, Oct. 4
• "Dartmouth Alumni Sue Over Changes" The New York Times, Oct. 4
• "See You in Court" The Valley News, Oct. 4
• "Divided Association of Alumni sues College" The Dartmouth, Oct. 4
• "Alumni to take legal action against College" The Dartmouth, Oct. 3
• "Dartmouth alumni group sues college over planned changes in board of trustees" The Chronicle of Higher Education, Oct. 3