Dunster Tutors Charge Unfair Hiring Practices

Eight tutors in Dunster House last week charged that a house official influenced the house master in the hirings of the official's brother, girlfriend, and longtime friend as resident tutors.

The tutors said Vincent W. Li '87, assistant senior tutor to the master, actively encouraged Dunster House Master Karel F. Liem to hire William W. Li '84, Vincent Li's brother, Fiona Murray and Owen Young, a friend of Vincent Li's since junior high school.

Liem, Murray and Young all denied that Li had any role in the hirings. Both Vincent and William Li could not be reached despite repeated phone calls and beeper pages placed last week and yesterday.

Seven of the eight tutors contacted spoke on the condition of anonymity, saying they feared they would be fired if they spoke on the record. Austin Lin, a non-resident tutor in computer science, made statements on the record only after he resigned on Thursday to protest the tutor selection process.

Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 has also met with Dunster tutors twice in the last two months, though no formal complaint about tutor hiring practices has been filed.

Although most of the tutors did not question the competency of William Li, Murray and Young, they charged that "a web of nepotism" plagued the hiring process.

Several of the tutors and students interviewed said Vincent Li, in charge of resident tutor hiring for the house, had a significant role in his brother's interview process.

Four students said Vincent Li asked them in February to interview his brother for the position. The students also said Vincent Li was present at one of the three student interviews and encouraged one of the students impressed with William Li to endorse him with the masters.

"He asked me how the conversa- tion went, and then he asked me to pass on my thoughts to Karel or Hetty by phone," Holly K. Tabor '94 said.

And both Edward Yim '94 and Tabor said Vincent had planned to be at their interviews with his brother, but canceled because of scheduling problems.

But while Li's job ordinarily includes narrowing the applicant pool for resident tutor positions and organizing student interviews of the candidates, Liem said Li only did "paper work" when his brother applied for a position.

"We eliminated Vince from the process," Liem said.

Liem admitted that Vincent Li was present at one interview but said he disapproved.

"I don't know why he was around," Liem said. "I don't know what he was doing there. No, I don't think it was appropriate he was there."

Liem said he made it clear that "it was a formal interview," but the four students interviewers said they thought the interview was an "open discussion."

"It was no problem [that Vincent was there]. If it had been a formal interview, it may have been uncomfortable," Geoffrey Kerchner '93 said.

Some tutors interviewed also alleged that Vincent Li forced the resignation of an earth and planetary science tutor to make room for Fiona Murray. Former resident tutor Dennis McGillicuddy, who had been planning to get married, left when Vincent Li moved into the only available suite for married tutors.

Tutors said McGillicuddy's departure opened a resident position for Fiona Murray, who they say is romantically involved with Vincent Li.

Murray said she was hired on her own merit and Vincent's relationship with the master "had nothing to do with [her]." Murray refused to specify whether she was romantically involved with Li.

Students and tutors interviewed said they were also angered by the hiring of Owen Young as a resident tutor in music. Young was ranked last among the three candidates interviewed by students, one interviewer said.

The students and tutors alleged that Young was hired because he has been a close friend of Vincent Li's since junior high school.

But Liem said the students' first choice could not be hired because of "confidential information" unknown to students and the second choice tutor had already been hired by the Winthrop House masters.

Young said he and Vincent Li were childhood friends and that Li had encouraged him to apply for the position. Li did not "influence or have any kind of control over the process," he said.

Liem, who has the final say in all hiring decisions on resident tutors, said he had a "very good relationship" with Vincent Li.

"I trust him immensely," Liem said, but the master emphatically denied that Li had any influence in the hirings of William Li, Murray and Young.

Tutors voiced their concerns about the hiring process privately earlier in the year. Lin wrote a letter to the Liems dated February 28 in which he called for the selection process to "receive much more input from Dunster Students, since they are the ones most affected by these appointments."

Tutors said they met with Jewett to discuss tutor hiring practices on March 11, soon after William Li was hired.

According to seven tutors at that meeting, Jewett said he would speak to Liem about the issue. At a second meeting on April 9, Jewett told four tutors and one student that he would not be able to do anything official unless a formal complaint was filed, tutors said.

Tutors said they did not file the complaint for fear of repercussions from the masters.

Liem said last week that he never spoke with Jewett about tutor hiring and said he "knew nothing" about the meetings.

Jewett confirmed that he met with tutors twice, but refused to say whether he had spoken to Liem about tutor hiring.

"Many tutors considered resigning as a group before and after Will was hired," Lin said. "He [Liem] said he wanted the tutors to be one harmonious family working together and I felt I wasn't part of that family anymore," he said.

The other tutors did not resign because of "financial realities," Lin said.

Joe Mathews contributed to the reporting of this story.

And both Edward Yim '94 and Tabor said Vincent had planned to be at their interviews with his brother, but canceled because of scheduling problems.

But while Li's job ordinarily includes narrowing the applicant pool for resident tutor positions and organizing student interviews of the candidates, Liem said Li only did "paper work" when his brother applied for a position.

"We eliminated Vince from the process," Liem said.

Liem admitted that Vincent Li was present at one interview but said he disapproved.

"I don't know why he was around," Liem said. "I don't know what he was doing there. No, I don't think it was appropriate he was there."

Liem said he made it clear that "it was a formal interview," but the four students interviewers said they thought the interview was an "open discussion."

"It was no problem [that Vincent was there]. If it had been a formal interview, it may have been uncomfortable," Geoffrey Kerchner '93 said.

Some tutors interviewed also alleged that Vincent Li forced the resignation of an earth and planetary science tutor to make room for Fiona Murray. Former resident tutor Dennis McGillicuddy, who had been planning to get married, left when Vincent Li moved into the only available suite for married tutors.

Tutors said McGillicuddy's departure opened a resident position for Fiona Murray, who they say is romantically involved with Vincent Li.

Murray said she was hired on her own merit and Vincent's relationship with the master "had nothing to do with [her]." Murray refused to specify whether she was romantically involved with Li.

Students and tutors interviewed said they were also angered by the hiring of Owen Young as a resident tutor in music. Young was ranked last among the three candidates interviewed by students, one interviewer said.

The students and tutors alleged that Young was hired because he has been a close friend of Vincent Li's since junior high school.

But Liem said the students' first choice could not be hired because of "confidential information" unknown to students and the second choice tutor had already been hired by the Winthrop House masters.

Young said he and Vincent Li were childhood friends and that Li had encouraged him to apply for the position. Li did not "influence or have any kind of control over the process," he said.

Liem, who has the final say in all hiring decisions on resident tutors, said he had a "very good relationship" with Vincent Li.

"I trust him immensely," Liem said, but the master emphatically denied that Li had any influence in the hirings of William Li, Murray and Young.

Tutors voiced their concerns about the hiring process privately earlier in the year. Lin wrote a letter to the Liems dated February 28 in which he called for the selection process to "receive much more input from Dunster Students, since they are the ones most affected by these appointments."

Tutors said they met with Jewett to discuss tutor hiring practices on March 11, soon after William Li was hired.

According to seven tutors at that meeting, Jewett said he would speak to Liem about the issue. At a second meeting on April 9, Jewett told four tutors and one student that he would not be able to do anything official unless a formal complaint was filed, tutors said.

Tutors said they did not file the complaint for fear of repercussions from the masters.

Liem said last week that he never spoke with Jewett about tutor hiring and said he "knew nothing" about the meetings.

Jewett confirmed that he met with tutors twice, but refused to say whether he had spoken to Liem about tutor hiring.

"Many tutors considered resigning as a group before and after Will was hired," Lin said. "He [Liem] said he wanted the tutors to be one harmonious family working together and I felt I wasn't part of that family anymore," he said.

The other tutors did not resign because of "financial realities," Lin said.

Joe Mathews contributed to the reporting of this story.