  Weather Lottery Page1 Obituaries   |
Sat., Feb. 20, 1999 Students dance their discontent By JOHN CHRISTIE Middletown Press Staff MIDDLETOWN -- Wesleyan University students danced for President Douglas Bennet to express their concerns over the resignation of Cheryl Cutler, former head of the dance department. At a school renowned for its protests -- vilified by William F. Buckley, made famous by the 1994 movie "PCU" and still frequent -- the "dance-in" was still unique, and a serious matter. Cutler's resignation comes at the end of two years of legal wrangling that began when Willie Feuer, a former assistant professor of dance, sued the university and Cutler for being denied tenure, according to a report from the university's Faculty Committee on Rights and Responsibilities. The administration decided to settle out of court with Feuer, allowing him to return to teaching in the department part time for eight years. Cutler argued with the administration, claiming her department was left out of the decision and still opposed Feuer's return. As Cutler continued to oppose Feuer's return, even after the settlement was formalized, Bennet decided after a September 1997 meeting that she would be unable to execute her position fairly under the terms of the settlement. He removed her as head of the department. Cutler filed a complaint against Bennet with the committee, which found that, while Bennet had not overstepped his authority, he had not properly consulted the department faculty. The committee recommended Bennet reinstate Cutler. Bennet said in March he would reinstate Cutler if the university's legal agreement allowed it. But Cutler has announced her resignation, effective at the end of the semester. Cutler, on advice from her lawyers, would not comment Friday on the situation. While Cutler has decided to remain silent, dance students wished to speak on her behalf, reminding the university that Cutler created the dance department and was the first recipient of the university's coveted Excellence in Teaching award. Alissa Farber, a senior dance and English major, organized the "dance-in" during Bennet's office hours Friday. "We wanted to show him how we learned to articulate our minds and bodies, which are key teachings of Cheryl Cutler," Farber said. Reporters were not allowed into the office during the demonstration -- "house rules," Bennet said. "These office hours are for students to come in and address their concerns to me, and I try very hard to protect them," Bennet said. "They're supposed to be a dialogue." Bennet, though, admitted the student's dance performance was "definitely a first." After the "dance-in" students felt confident that they got their point across, but were not sure of its overall outcome. "He was receptive," Farber said. "He expressed [that] he shared our desire for Cheryl to remain at Wesleyan and the dance department." Sarah Rosenberg, a junior dance major who was in a dance teaching class with Cutler, said, "I told President Bennet he should do whatever he can possibly do to keep her here." Leora Wien, a transfer student from Smith College who came to Wesleyan because of its dance department, said, "I've heard raves about her ever since I got here and now that she's had to resign, it's changed how I feel about the dance department." Bennet was impressed with the students' performance and agreed that Cutler's resignation is a loss for the university. "It's universally acknowledged that she's a wonderful teacher, and I wish she would stay, despite the legal problems," Bennet said. Students said the legal problems have not been contained to Cutler's situation, but have reverberated throughout the department, making things -- as Rosenberg said -- "weird and unstable." "Because of the legal situation, the faculty has had to consider the legal ramifications of everything they say and do, and that's tough to prevent from affecting the students," Farber explained. "Things have been very by-the-book lately, and that is such a shame, because this is the most personal department I have ever encountered at Wesleyan." |
| Questions or Comments? Email the editor or see our FAQs page. |
|
