Re: 4/12/00 - On the unsolved murder at Yale
On the unsolved murder at Yale
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GINA RIEGER
Published 4/12/00
As the parent of a Yale sophomore, I read with interest the Yale Daily News online whenever possible. Undoubtedly, other Yale parents read it too. I have been following the articles about ABC News' "20/20" coverage of the Jovin murder and the Yale administration's remarks on the show and apparent lack of response, otherwise.
I saw the "20/20" show and thought that it was very well done in light of both the disturbing and frightening subject, and lack of resolution: a brutal murder is yet unsolved, a wonderful young woman is dead, a family is devastated and a suspect is either going free or is experiencing a living nightmare. The absence of the Yale administration in the ABC show did not go unnoticed by me. It was glaring because this horrible death goes to the heart of the institution -- a student was murdered, and a teacher and advisor (and former dean) is a prime suspect. One of these facts would have sufficed for the administration to offer greater acknowledgement that something very wrong and disturbing interrupted life in the halls of Yale last year, and is yet unsolved.
At the time of the murder, Yale was appropriately responsive. Parents received letters with a clear expression of the horror and devastation, recognition of Suzanne Jovin and a reassurance that everything was being done to solve the crime.
"Damage control" and "timing is everything" are plaguing Yale. "Damage control" is a term that I first heard applied in the cases of major airline crashes. After a horrible airline disaster, teams of airline employees would swarm into the area of impact and immediately offer services, money and caring concern to the air crash victims' families. The implication was that the damage has been done, don't compound it. The airline wanted to be viewed as caring, conciliatory, helpful -- and knowing that liability was always at issue -- wanted to minimize damages. People taken care of well during a tragedy are less likely to become angry, vindictive ... or sue. Damage control is not motivated by altruism.
"Timing is everything" is a well-known cliche. Had ABC chosen to run the "20/20" segment of the Jovin murder in the summer, the administration might have been more responsive, at least after it aired. Right now, letters have already been sent to the class of 2004, and already there has been some publicity (YDN, Feb. 15) that Yale's applications for admission were down 3.2 percent from last year. The timing of the "20/20" show was not good for Yale -- as the best and the brightest of students and their parents were awaiting word from the best of the country's universities. Many prospective students and parents are fearful of New Haven -- the fact that a student was murdered in one of the best, safest neighborhoods and her murderer is yet uncaught is neither comfortable nor appealing.
Yale cannot put the Jovin murder in the past because it is unsolved. In September of 1999, James Van de Velde, as person and suspect, was profiled at length in the Sunday New York Times Magazine. This March, he was on prime-time television. As the parent of a pretty, talented, wonderful Yale student, I saw the photos of Suzanne Jovin and heard her father's remark that losing her was like "an amputation of the soul," and I cried for both of them and felt lucky to have my daughter alive. Do I feel that my daughter is less safe at Yale? I don't know ... Do I have a lot of questions about this case? You bet. Am I concerned about the relationship of Suzanne and Van de Velde? Yes. Do I wonder what led Suzanne to be so upset about her advisor's behavior? Yes. Do I ask, what is a student's recourse if she is concerned that her advisor is not acting in her best interests or not responding in a timely manner to work submitted? Where are the answers to these questions? Yale has had some very upsetting problems in the past few years. Is it a world-class institution, and do the students still love it? Yes.
I believe that the Yale administration cared about Suzanne Jovin and was horrified by her murder. Publicly, the Yale administration needs to acknowledge that something horrible happened and that it is doing everything possible to make sure Jovin's murderer is brought to justice. The administration should also reassure the Yale community that the issues raised by the Jovin case in the "20/20" show -- particularly those of a seemingly worried, frantic student, who is now dead -- are being seriously considered and addressed.
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