Letter to the Editor

Carleen Basler writes to all members of the College community.

Dear students, staff, and faculty,

Resigning from my position at Amherst College was a very difficult decision but one that I believe is in the best interest of my family, my students, and the greater Amherst College community. My reason for resigning is simple. In certain sections of my scholarly work, I unintentionally failed to cite and improperly cited previously published materials. In the realm of academic scholarship, such mistakes are very serious in nature. I could have gone through the College’s adjudication process, but as the mistakes are mine, I believe resignation was the most honorable and ethical course of action. I sincerely regret these mistakes and apologize unreservedly to my colleagues and students for the distress this situation has caused.

I hope the College community will remember me for more than these mistakes, and will recall the passionate commitment I made to Amherst College in my teaching, mentoring, and developing a more diverse and inclusive learning community.
For my family’s sake I would be grateful if the community would grant us privacy.