Letter to the Editor: 4 da Vinci CFs

To the Editor,

After mulling it over for a few weeks, I have determined what, precisely, it is that bothers me so much about the punishment and subsequent humiliation of four da Vinci CFs by our Office of Residential Life ("CFs Violate Alcohol Policy").

What vexes me is that the entire basis of Santa Clara's policies, from the Student Handbook to the design of our curricula, is centered around the Jesuit values that founded this university. Three of those values are given special importance that we are all supposed to take to heart: conscience, competence, compassion. The way these former CFs — members of our community — were treated displays none of those values.

That compassion was entirely absent is self-evident; that it was replaced wholly by callousness and lack of conscience is apparent in the lack of response to da Vinci's own compassionate support of their community. There was no competence in dismissing, from their posts and their community, da Vinci's CFs. Resident Life displayed a narcissistic obsession with enforcement and punishment, disregarding our actual, ethical community standards. That is what bothers me.

Did the four CFs clearly violate a rule? Yes. Did they deserve some sort of punishment for their actions? Yes. Did they deserve the treatment they got? Absolutely not, and I simply cannot feel at rest without making that known.

Erik Schaumann

Class of 2013