Selected Events

News Story

Good News -- Vindication for Cloister

December 5, 2007

Dear Cloister Members,

Thank you to all for your show of support for Savannah Sachs '08 and the club. You'll be happy to know that charges were officially dropped by the Borough last week.

Naturally, the story of the dismissal did not receive quite the media attention as the filing of the charges did, but stories did run in the Princeton Packet, the Daily Princetonian, and Trenton Times. The most accurate reporting is in the article in the Princeton Packet: http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2007/11/27/the_princeton_packet/news/doc474b6de94010b420614662.txt .. The Princetonian story, though it mistakenly claims Boro officers and not Department of Public Safety officers conducted the original inquiry, can be found at http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2007/11/28/news/19485.shtml

What are our next steps? I am meeting with Mark Burstein, Princeton's Executive Vice President, in December, and will be asking him to specifically outline what steps he is taking to ensure that these mistakes do not occur again. I will also craft a letter to President Tilghman to ensure that she is made aware of the University's errors in this case. In the spring, I expect to be invited, along with other club graduate board chairmen, to meet with members of the University's Trustees on the Student Life Committee. In all these cases, I will inquire not only about what steps are being taken, but also how the University may exert influence on the Borough and better protect its students from unfair prosecution. Note that this is not just an issue of false charges being brought; it also begs the question as to why presidents of eating clubs are held accountable for all behaviors that may occur within the club walls. As many of you pointed out.... President Tilghman is not charged each time a minor becomes intoxicated on University property.

Finally, I will work with InterClub Advisor Tim Prugar and the Graduate InterClub Council to formulate a strategy for effectively interacting with Borough leaders to achieve similar outcomes as described above.

I met with Savannah last weekend, and she is doing well. By all accounts, she held up quite well under the stress of the charges. Please click on the articles above so that when future employers Google her name, they'll see the stories of the charges being dismissed above the articles that speak of the filing of charges.

As for the club, we have weathered this storm, hopefully without much reputational damage (and fortunately with only a $4,000 legal bill).

Thank you again for your support.

--Mike

Mike Jackman '92
Chairman, Cloister Inn Board of Trustees

Cloister Inn
65 Prospect Avenue
Princeton, NJ 08540



Home Support Cloister Cloister Store Calendar Recent Events Chairman's Report Library Undergrad Site	News Story
		Good News -- Vindication for Cloister December 5, 2007 Dear Cloister Members, Thank you to all for your show of support for Savannah Sachs '08 and the club. You'll be happy to know that charges were officially dropped by the Borough last week. Naturally, the story of the dismissal did not receive quite the media attention as the filing of the charges did, but stories did run in the Princeton Packet, the Daily Princetonian, and Trenton Times. The most accurate reporting is in the article in the Princeton Packet: http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2007/11/27/the_princeton_packet/news/doc474b6de94010b420614662.txt .. The Princetonian story, though it mistakenly claims Boro officers and not Department of Public Safety officers conducted the original inquiry, can be found at http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2007/11/28/news/19485.shtml What are our next steps? I am meeting with Mark Burstein, Princeton's Executive Vice President, in December, and will be asking him to specifically outline what steps he is taking to ensure that these mistakes do not occur again. I will also craft a letter to President Tilghman to ensure that she is made aware of the University's errors in this case. In the spring, I expect to be invited, along with other club graduate board chairmen, to meet with members of the University's Trustees on the Student Life Committee. In all these cases, I will inquire not only about what steps are being taken, but also how the University may exert influence on the Borough and better protect its students from unfair prosecution. Note that this is not just an issue of false charges being brought; it also begs the question as to why presidents of eating clubs are held accountable for all behaviors that may occur within the club walls. As many of you pointed out.... President Tilghman is not charged each time a minor becomes intoxicated on University property. Finally, I will work with InterClub Advisor Tim Prugar and the Graduate InterClub Council to formulate a strategy for effectively interacting with Borough leaders to achieve similar outcomes as described above. I met with Savannah last weekend, and she is doing well. By all accounts, she held up quite well under the stress of the charges. Please click on the articles above so that when future employers Google her name, they'll see the stories of the charges being dismissed above the articles that speak of the filing of charges. As for the club, we have weathered this storm, hopefully without much reputational damage (and fortunately with only a $4,000 legal bill). Thank you again for your support. --Mike Mike Jackman '92 Chairman, Cloister Inn Board of Trustees

	Cloister Inn 65 Prospect Avenue Princeton, NJ 08540