Brodhead Letter to Undergraduate Parents

Dear Parent of Duke Undergraduate,

Many of you will have heard by now news accounts about allegations against members of the Duke lacrosse team, which the captains of the team deny. On Tuesday evening, Director of Athletics Joe Alleva and I met with members of the news media to discuss the situation. My statement announcing the suspension of lacrosse games and a supplementary statement amplifying on a question from the press conference are available with other material on a special website.

This is a difficult time at Duke. Allegations have been made that, if verified, will justify all of our outrage and call for very severe penalties. On the other hand, we need to remember that allegation is not the same thing as conviction, and that we must not prejudge until the facts are established. The Durham police will have our full cooperation in expediting their investigation.

I would gladly have spared your sons and daughters this experience. But painful as these days are, times of strain can also be times of education. We will be working as always to assure the welfare of our students, and we'll be struggling to make this an occasion where we can all grow in wisdom. I urge you to keep informed of developments by checking the website as the days go by.

Sincerely yours,

Richard H. Brodhead