Within minutes of this morning’s press conference ending, University President Richard Levin sent out a campuswide e-mail with a statement on Raymond Clark III’s arrest.

In the e-mail, Levin said “nothing in the history of [Clark’s] employment at the University gave an indication that his involvement in such a crime might be possible.” Clark, an animal lab technician, has worked at Yale since Dec. 2004.

Levin said Clark has been “suspended from employment” and barred from campus. The full text of his e-mail has been reproduced below:

To the Yale Community:

The New Haven Chief of Police has just announced that Raymond Clark has been arrested in connection with the death of Annie Le. We are relieved and encouraged by this progress in the investigation, but, of course, we must resist the temptation to rush to judgment until a full and fair prosecution of this case brings a just resolution. As with every development in this tragic story, we think first of Annie’s family, her fiancé and his family, and her friends, and our hearts go out to them.

Mr. Clark has been a lab technician at Yale since December 2004. His supervisor reports that nothing in the history of his employment at the University gave an indication that his involvement in such a crime might be possible.

It is frightening that a member of our own community might have committed this terrible crime. But we must not let this incident shatter our trust in one another. We must reaffirm our deepest values as an institution – our commitment to the search for truth, undertaken in a spirit of openness, tolerance, and civility. The work of the University requires us to engage with each other in the classroom, to collaborate in the laboratory, and to trust one another in workplaces across the campus. In many, even most respects, this University is a model of citizenship and civility. It will take the efforts of everyone to maintain that standard.

In the days and weeks ahead, we will redouble our efforts to educate the community about Yale’s zero tolerance policy for violent, threatening, and abusive behavior. We have formal policies in place covering employees and students, and effective grievance procedures to bring forth complaints.

This incident could have happened in any city, in any university, or in any workplace. It says more about the dark side of the human soul than it does about the extent of security measures. Nevertheless, safety is a very high priority, and we will shortly be soliciting suggestions from the community about how we might further improve campus security.

We are all deeply indebted to the men and women of the FBI, Connecticut State Police, New Haven Police, Yale Police, and Yale Security. They have worked tirelessly and cooperatively since Annie’s disappearance last Tuesday. Yale will continue to provide all needed assistance to the State’s Attorney as the case proceeds. As is our practice when an employee is charged with a serious crime, Mr. Clark is being suspended from employment at Yale and barred from the campus. His ID card no longer allows him access to any Yale building.

We are a close community with deeply shared values. Monday night’s candlelight vigil gave moving testimony to the caring and compassion of this place. Let us continue to offer comfort and consolation to Annie’s family and friends, and let us honor her memory by rededicating ourselves to the search for truth to which she herself was so deeply devoted.

Richard C. Levin

President

YALE DAILY NEWS