Thirty-nine Dunster House students signed a petition Tuesday calling for the resignation of Vincent W. Li '87, an assistant senior tutor in charge of hiring who came under fire last week for participating in the hiring of his brother.

The petition came one day before a resident tutor resigned and another "considered seriously" filing an official complaint against Li.

Circulated by Gregory C. Perry '93 and Emily C. McNeal '93, the petition also called for a student reevaluation of the four resident tutors hired this year. Li, who has assisted the masters with tutor hiring since the fall, was present at the interview of his brother, William W. Li '84.

"I don't think Vince sees he did anything wrong," McNeal said. "This will put a lot of scrutiny on the process for next year."

McNeal, who said she planned to give the petition to Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57, said more students didn't sign the petition because they told her they were "worried something would happen to them."

Tutors last week said that Li also had some influence in the hiring last fall of his girlfriend, Fiona Murray, and in 1991 of a longtime friend, Owen Young. Liem makes all final decisions on tutor hiring.

Tutors and students this week also said that Mark Schroeder, a graphic arts tutor hired this year by Li, was another of Li's longtime friends.

At an open meeting last night, Dunster House Master Karel F. Liem denied Li had any improper involvement in the disputed hirings. Schroeder and Li did not return repeated phone calls this week.

The morning after the petition was circulated, Cynthia Palmer, assistant senior tutor for fellowships, resigned at a staff meeting.

"The recent events at Dunster House certainly had an impact on my decision," Palmer said in an interview after the meeting.

But Liem said Palmer resigned because of a "personal decision relating to her career."

"Her decision was not connected to the whole case, at least that's the way it was related to me," Liem said. "It has nothing to do with the problem."

Liem said he is trying to convince Palmer to stay next year, as Henriette Power, the senior tutor, and Renee Gonzales, the third assistant senior tutor, will not be on campus next year.

"We are in negotiations," Liem said. "It is very important for Dunster House that [Palmer] stay."

McNeal and Perry also distributed a "fact sheet" to all Dunster House student mailboxes which reiterated the tutors' charges and Liem's responses. Perry said he and McNeal compiled the handout after speaking to the co-masters, the senior tutor, and more than seven other tutors.

Despite uproar from students and tutors, Liem said no changes would be made concerning tutors already hired. Liem also said Li will retain his position as assistant senior tutor in charge of hiring, and that Vincent and William Li would be co-chairs of the pre-med committee next year.

"I would like to have everything [concerning the tutors] stay the same," Liem said. "Otherwise it's not fair for the people involved."

David Bear '92, who said he strongly considered resigning this week, planned on filing a formal complaint with Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles. He decided not to file the complaint after speaking with Jewett yesterday.

"I'm very unhappy with the atmosphere, the layering of lie after lie by the people involved," Bear said. "There is a lot of dishonesty brought on this house by Vince Li, Karel and Hetty, and somebody owes Dunster an apology."

Bear said Liem tried to cover up Li's involvement in his brother's hiring when the master told him at a meeting that Li was not present at a student interview.

Liem said he did not know Vincent was at the interview because his wife, Hetty, had asked Vincent to be present without telling him.

But Bear said Hetty Liem was "at the entire meeting" when he asked Karel Liem about Vincent's role. Liem acknowledged Hetty was present for part of the meeting, but said she was not there when Bear asked about Vincent.

"Again, I don't really know," Liem said. "There are so many meetings and I have no idea."

Liem said he had been in contact with Jewett about the situation since an open meeting he held last Wednesday. But Liem said Jewett made no recommendations or suggestions. "He's just a good listener," Liem said.

Jewett declined to comment on his conversations with Dunster officials yesterday, calling them "private communications.