Clarification: According AAS President Tania Dias '13, "Club soccer was not officially recognized during a AAS meeting two weeks ago. Senators motioned to fund the women's team, as a symbolic gesture agreeing with Club Soccer. This did not constitute official status to Club Soccer, but was instead an AAS gesture towards supporting the Club Soccer students. It was only two days later, after Suzanne Coffey and I met to discuss the current impasse, did we work things out, and come to an agreement."
As a male student-athlete and football player, I was deeply concerned and, quite frankly, offended by “The Elephant in the Room.” I respect and completely agree that sexual misconduct on the Amherst campus is a serious issue that needs to be addressed thoughtfully and urgently. You will never hear me disagree with that fact on that point. However, what I do object to is that male student-athletes are being unfairly targeted by baseless claims, gross generalizations, and sexist insinuations.
Having read both Professor Dumm’s article and the report on sexual misconduct released by the Special Oversight Committee, I would like to respond as a senior male student-athlete. Firstly, I believe that it is important for us to question reports derived from the administration in order to continue to improve our community as a whole. I’d also like to say that I respect Professor Dumm’s critiques, even though I disagree with many of them.
No thoughtful, sane person can or would deny that the recent allegations of sexual misconduct at Amherst are shocking, alarming and truly awful. Like many members of our community, my heart breaks for each and every victim of such senseless, horrendous violence, and it is my sincerest hope that each individual receives every measure of care and attention they need and that those responsible are dealt with fairly, swiftly and severely. Now what comes next might shock professor Dumm, but I am a male student-athlete at Amherst.
Barry O’Connell, James E. Ostendarp Professor of English, critiques Professor Dumm’s letter and discusses social life at Amherst.
EJ Mills, Head Football Coach at Amherst College, writes in response to “Elephant in the Room”
Suzanne Coffey, Amherst’s Director of Athletics, writes in response to “Elephant in the Room” in support of the College’s student-athletes.
I’m disappointed that a tenured professor at Amherst College would write in broad prejudiced strokes about our students. His speech is deliberately hurtful, and frankly sad. Substitute a different other group — based on religion, race, ethnicity or sexual preference — for athlete and most of us wouldn’t tolerate his outbursts.
