In recent weeks, signs with slogans such as “Save Doran” have been posted around Saint Louis University’s campus. Residents of the second floor of Clemens Hall have been flooding the Quad, asking for signatures in support of their Resident Adviser Mike Doran, who faces the prospect of losing his job because of remarks made on the Web site www.smellkid.com.
Before the Student Government Association elections occurred, Business School senatorial candidate Matt Durbin used the Web site www.smellkid.com to express his opinions of contender Mary Elizabeth Curtice. The site, created last November by senior Pat Keefe, was “established so students could say whatever they want to say and not have to worry about censorship or the administration,” Keefe said.
However, visitors to the site viewed Durbin’s comments as controversial and offensive. Within days, more than 50 responses had been posted on the site, including several by Doran.
A friend of Curtice’s, Doran took it upon himself to respond to Durbin; Doran made approximately nine posts on the site.
“I called him a few names because I felt offended that he was talking about my friend that way,” Doran said.
Within days, Doran said he received an email from Durbin requesting that he refrain from making further comments about him on the Web site. After receiving the email, Doran responded to Durbin, saying that he felt Durbin had no right to demand that he stop posting messages, something Doran claims he was only doing in retaliation to Durbin’s comments about Curtice. Durbin, after receiving the reply from Doran, forwarded the message to Griesedieck Area Coordinator Leanna Fenneberg.
Days later, Doran said he was approached by Griesedieck Complex’s Campus Minister, Michael Schreiner. Schreiner explained to Doran that Durbin had approached him concerning the remarks he posted on the site. Schreiner advised Doran of the possible consequences of his actions.
After Doran spoke with Schreiner and posted one final message on the site, he received an e-mail from Community Development Coordinator Patrick Cuba. Included in this correspondence was a reference to a pseudonym used in previous postings to the site, a name given to Cuba by Durbin. Cuba asked Doran if he had been using this particular name while posting messages. Doran replied that he had not.
Days later, Doran received a follow-up letter from Cuba, requesting that he schedule a time to meet with him. At this meeting, Doran says that Cuba explained to him that possible criminal charges could be filed against him, and that Doran’s IP address could be traced. After hearing this information, Doran revealed that, in fact, he had authored messages using the pseudonym. Because Doran was on extended probation due to a previous incident, Cuba explained that harassment of another resident constituted a violation of his probation.
According to Doran, Cuba then said that he would not be charged judicially, and had the option of resigning from his position as a resident advisor or being fired. When asked later about the terms of punishment and the reasons behind Doran losing his job, Cuba declined to comment.
Initially Doran intended to resign, but his plans changed after his hall-mates approached him. They demanded that he withdraw his resignation, and they vowed to help him fight the administration. Members of Doran’s hall proceeded to launch a campaign complete with posters, petitions and protests.
Despite Doran’s anonymity by using an alias, Durbin was able to trace Doran’s identity.
“I am an MIS major and I can do interesting things with computers,” Durbin said.
The fate of Doran has yet to be decided as he awaits the decision of his appeal from Shawn Swinigan, Director of Residence Life. Doran met with Swinigan yesterday for approximately 40 minutes and has yet to hear whether or not his appeal will be approved.
Although Swinigan could not comment on the details of the situation, he said, “There is a certain philosophy in the department, which set guidelines for staff in how they behave.”
