New London — Connecticut College Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Rodmon King, whose resignation last week led to student calls for College President Katherine Bergeron’s resignation, described Bergeron’s “bullying behaviors” in a letter to the college’s board of trustees.

King resigned Feb. 7 in protest of the college’s planned fundraising event at the Everglades Club in Palm Beach, Fla., an exclusive club with an alleged anti-Black and antisemitic history. The event was canceled.

King wrote in a letter that day to the chair and vice chair of the college’s Board of Trustees that there has been a history of disrespect that has taken place throughout Bergeron’s administration and since King was hired by the college in late 2021.

The Day has obtained the letter that was sent to Debo Adegbile, the board chair, and Karen Quint, vice chair. The letter was shared by students late Sunday evening, who were seen sliding copies under the doors of students in multiple dorm buildings. People associated with the college were sharing the letter via email on Monday morning.

“Over the past year, I have witnessed President Bergeron yell at, denigrate, talk over, and silence my colleagues during Cabinet meetings,” King wrote.

He added, “These bullying behaviors are clearly violations of the basic respect that should be afforded any professional. In listening to community members, these are not new behaviors and have been exhibited by President Bergeron throughout her presidency.”

On Sunday, Adegbile sent a school-wide email indicating that he, along with the board and Bergeron, would work together to meet the college’s goals for equity and inclusion.

The email did not address calls from students for Bergeron’s resignation, nor the claim from student leaders that Bergeron directed King to prepare a statement in defense of a fundraising event at the exclusive Everglades Club.

Bergeron, in an email to the college last Wednesday, apologized “to all who saw our plans as contrary to Conn’s values or to the inclusive institution we aspire to be.”

John Kramer, vice president for marketing and communications for the college, said in a statement last week that “President Bergeron did not ask or tell Dean King to write a statement justifying the location of the event.”

King and Bergeron could not immediately be reached for comment.

Khadedra Neals, a student leader, said Monday that the fact that King considered his supervisor a bully shows Bergeron has a “lack of leadership.”

“I think that within this letter, you can see that it is both a personal and professional issue that Bergeron has affected on administration. It shows the control she has over her staff and employees and the fear they share,” Neals said.

King’s letter further described his experience with the culture and environment of the college.

“I am writing to you now to share concerns that I have for the Conn College community and specifically for the Senior Administrator group,” King said. “There is an unhealthy and very concerning set of dynamics in Cabinet meetings and Senior Administrator meetings.”

The “bullying behaviors,” according to King, have created a culture of “fear and intimidation” that has disallowed staff, in fear of Bergeron retaliating, from completing their job effectively.

“This has led to a toxic administrative culture of fear and intimidation. People seek to avoid triggering Katherine’s anger and this affects their ability to do their jobs,” King said.

He wrote that he has heard faculty withhold important information due to fears that it would upset Bergeron.

He added, “The most honest, open, and collaborative discussions the Cabinet and the Senior Administrator groups have occurred when President Bergeron was not present.”

King opined in the letter that Bergeron is at the center of the institution’s inability to engage in work that promotes the college’s financial well-being.

“The ability of the Cabinet to engage in this vital work is being compromised by the toxic culture created by President Bergeron,” he wrote. “Senior Administrators are afraid to speak honestly about the financial projections in the proposed budget model. There are serious valid concerns about the soundness of the budget model. It is crucial that some intervention is made.”

King concluded by mentioning that writing the letter was a “personal and professional risk“ and that he ”fully expects some form of retaliation“ against him.

“I’m asking you to take seriously the information I’ve shared and that you conduct a 360-degree review of President Bergeron,” King ended the letter stating.

Adegbile said in his email to students that he, along with the board, will work with Bergeron to address the “several critical concerns.”

“The Board will bring focus to the full range of concerns that have been raised and, together with President Bergeron, will recommit to effective administrative leadership and our DEI values,” he said.

Adegbile and Quint could not be reached for comment Monday.

t.wright@theday.com

Editor’s note: The attached documents were altered to remove personal addresses and phone numbers.