College Sought Fingerprints on Critical, Anonymous Letter

Merced College officials are defending their hiring of a private investigator to look for fingerprints on an anonymous letter the college's board received, The Merced Sun-Star reported. The February letter was signed "Concerned Students" and demanded the return of President Ron Taylor, who had been placed on leave without explanation. College officials appear to have suspected that the letter was sent by faculty members, and faculty leaders have denounced the college for seeking fingerprints from the letter. The college says it was obligated to investigate because the letter also included a photograph of a male student who was not wearing pants, and this raised privacy and other issues, the Sun-Star reported.