In Norris case, Yale's silence is sin

By Nathan Littlefield

NAOMI PEASE/YH

I have never feared for my safety in New Haven; this city is a more hospitable place than its reputation suggests. A few overly-aggressive panhandlers are the only even mild examples of "urban blight" that I've found here. If you can't stand the thought of a stranger pressuring you for money, the city simply isn't for you.

I read about the murder of then-Davenport senior Suzanne Jovin last year. I've heard countless over-dramatized stories of muggings, and of one brawl that took place last year between Yale students and irate New Havenites outside Naples. But Jovin was the first Yale student killed in years, and, given common sense and the weight of statistics, it is highly unlikely that I will be assaulted.

Still, every once in a while my confidence in the safety of this city is called into question. Initially, this was the case with the disappearance of Gregory Norris, BR '00, from Swing Space. A great deal has changed about this affair since its nascence, but my first reaction was fear. I wondered exactly what happened on Sun., Oct. 31, the night Norris vanished—and still wonder why Yale has made no attempt to inform students about the circumstances behind the incident.

The speculation that surrounds Norris can lead only to fear and rumors, most of which will turn out to be false. Among the stories I've heard are that Norris wanted a break, that he cracked under pressure, that he took a vacation, and that he was picked up and murdered. Since we know almost nothing about Norris's actions on and before Oct. 31, even the most lurid rumors gain an air of credibility.

Until this Monday, we knew that Norris had disappeared and that he had placed a collect call to his parents early on the morning of that fateful Sunday. On Sat., Nov. 6, the New Haven Register reported that at around 5:10 a.m., New Haven police found Norris in Union Station under the influence of "an unknown substance," and that he was admitted voluntarily to Yale-New Haven Hospital, which he left after receiving treatment. We still do not know if he left with anyone, if he hinted at a destination, or anything about his state of mind at the time. Any of these facts could deflate at least some rumor-mongering, but only if accompanied by voices that have the power to confirm or deny.

Because students' safety and mental well-being are profoundly important to the Yale community, the Administration and authorities ought to be more forthcoming. Full disclosure is obviously not an option, because certain personal and medical information is—and should remain—confidential. Nonetheless, I very much doubt that we have been told everything that we may legally know about Norris's disappearance. In order to prevent rumors from spiraling out of control, investigators should make as much information public as possible. The Administration owes this honesty to the community.

Furthermore, the treatment of Norris' case would be less disturbing if it didn't appear to be part of a general pattern of silence. Earlier this year, a streak of muggings took place near Swing Space. Nicole Parisier, Dean of Branford College, e-mailed college residents, but the rest of the students received no notification. Was Yale attempting to maintain a façade, or was this merely an example of poor organization? In either case, the University's response was unacceptable.

Certain facts about the Norris case have come to light, but the picture is far from fully illuminated. Whether dealing with a crises of campus security or a personal tragedies, the Administration has an obligation to let us know as much as is practically and legally possible about serious incidents that occur around Yale. This is not to say that every time a panhandler approaches a student there should be an alarm and a consequent all-campus e-mail. Such occurrences are a fixture of urban life. But disappearances and serial muggings are not, and we deserve to know about them. Open communication, especially regarding incidents as dramatic as the Norris case, is not too much to ask. Nathan Littlefield is a freshman in Ezra Stiles.

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