January 31, 2001: Letter to the Dartmouth community from President James Wright

Posted 01/31/01

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

At the request of the family, the memorial service for Half and Susanne Zantop will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2001 at 2 p.m. in Rollins Chapel. The service will be followed by a reception in the Top of the Hop. We will share more details on the service and reception when they have been finalized.

We have a great interest in the investigation and we all hope it is resolved soon. We are not accustomed to the sort of intense media coverage we have been experiencing. While we need to recognize the public interest in this matter, we also need to remember that for us this is not a news event but rather a time of loss and mourning.

We continue to stay in contact with the Attorney General's Office in our effort to keep abreast of the latest developments in the case. Attorney General Philip McLaughlin has said that he has more than 30 investigators on the case and that they are making progress. His office has been holding daily news conferences to discuss their investigation, which can be seen daily on channel 2 on Dartmouth's campus cable TV system and locally on Adelphia Cable's Community Access TV channel 6. For the exact times of these broadcasts, go to the Dartmouth News web page. Dartmouth's General Counsel Robert Donin is in regular contact with the Attorney General's Office and is our chief liaison with that office. Of course, as soon as we know anything about the resolution of the case we will let you know.

I would like to thank the people around campus including those in the German Department, the Earth Sciences Department, the Comparative Literature Program and the Women's Studies Program, the Dean of Faculty Office, the Office of the General Counsel, the Office of Safety and Security, the Counseling Office, the Office of Public Affairs, the Dean of the College Office, and the Provost Office as well as the many faculty, students, and staff who have stepped forward in this difficult time to share in the task of healing. Your support, despite the shock and grief, has been overwhelming.

You can find a list of the resources that are available to students, faculty, and staff on the Dartmouth College web site. For further information on available campus resources you may call either 1-866-288-8386 or 603-646-1010.

Sincerely,

James Wright