Dear President Baltimore,

I have an urgent concern about Prefrosh Weekend that I felt should be brought to your attention. Recently, I have been hearing more and more rumors among the undergraduate student body that there will be a movement to negatively influence the newly admitted students who will be on campus Prefrosh Weekend, which is scheduled for April 18-20. I personally feel such action would be counterproductive, and the Associated Students will not organize or condone any of these activities. However, I have limited control over the actions of individual students, and even less control over students' attitudes towards Caltech, which are the root of the problem. With just three weeks until the event, I believe that Caltech Administration is the only body capable of effecting a major change in student attitudes, and I hope you will share in my desire to make that change.

...

I have been concerned about this issue for a long time, as the seeds for this movement existed even at the protest in December. From the banners at that protest, I found the following three statements: "For three years, I have recommended this school to prefrosh. This year I won't." "What am I going to tell the prefrosh? All the reasons I came here are disappearing." "Next spring I'll espouse the truth to prospective students and get them to go elsewhere." When I have tried to dissuade students from taking these actions, they have asked me, "What else can we do to make the administration listen?" It is this sense of powerlessness and frustration that is driving this movement. I had thought this attitude would subside over time, but it seems to actually be getting stronger. The students don't feel like they have seen anything positive from administration over the past few months. I personally had not seen much to give me hope either until your meeting with student leaders concerning the Student Affairs VP on Monday, March 11.

At that meeting, you acknowledged that communication with students was "very poor." That statement inspired me to write this letter today, and it gives me confidence that you will be receptive to my pleas. I believe that a simple gesture from your office in the next few weeks will go a long way towards changing student attitudes and reducing negative publicity during Prefrosh Weekend.

The gesture could come on a number of different issues, of which I am sure you are very familiar. A repeal of the freshman parking ban would cater not only to current student attitudes, but to the incoming freshman as well. A copy of the Caltech catalog for each student would provide a very tangible symbol. A public statement that third term grades will be mailed home would be a very inexpensive act. A guarantee that the administration will not alter the student health plan for the next year would put many minds at ease. A statement from the Student Housing Committee delegating rotation changes for next year to the Interhouse Committee would do the same. These are just a few of the possible actions that I believe could make a difference

More than one of these announcements in rapid succession could inspire a strong positive response in much the same way as the successive announcement of the negative changes originally created the current negative attitude. Coupled with a more public acknowledgement that administration has not communicated well with students, I believe that such an action would have a profound effect on the tone of Prefrosh Weekend. I sincerely hope you will act on my appeals in the next few weeks. The Institute would surely benefit from your actions.

Sincerely,

Ted Jou
ASCIT President

...Over the past several months, I and others in the administration have received numerous letters, emails, and communications from undergraduate and graduate students expressing concern over actions taken to implement these budget cuts. You have asked for explanations and requested reconsideration of several of the decisions. This feedback from you has been very valuable, and in response, we have taken the following actions:

1. Although we still have a tight situation with the new parking regulations, we feel that we can provide 25 spaces for Freshman parking. We will allocate those spaces on a lottery basis.

2. As of the next printing of the catalog, one copy will be provided to each student at no charge.

3. Starting with the 3rd term, we will mail grades unless the Registrar receives specific instruction not to do so.

4. The student health plan will remain unchanged for the next year. Let me also comment on a number of other areas of apparent concern:

5. The TURLI report raised the issue of modifying rotation practices. The Student Housing Committee, chaired by Professor Jurca, is studying this issue and will be discussing it with the Interhouse Committee as the process moves along. Let me reiterate what Gary Lorden and I have said in the town hall meetings: the administration will not take any preemptory action on this issue...