People in Dunster House are beginning to fear the month of May.

Last May, students and tutors became outraged after Noel Ignatiev, a nonresident tutor in the house, was not rehired after voicing his strong objections to a kosher toaster paid for out of University funds.

And last month, eight tutors said they feared they, too, would be fired if they spoke publicly about their beliefs that a house official participated in the hiring of his brother, girlfriend and two longtime friends.

"It seems like this kind of thing happens every year," said Henriette L. Power, senior tutor.

The tutors, who at first only spoke on the condition of anonymity, charged that Vincent W. Li '87, assistant senior tutor, unfairly influenced Dunster House Master Karel F. Liem by attending student interviews of William W. Li '84, Li's brother, and Mark O. Schroeder, Li's friend since 1986.

The tutors also said that in 1991, Li verbally persuaded Liem to hire Owen Young, a friend since junior high school, even though student interviewers ranked Young last among three possible candidates.

Tutors also charged that in the spring of 1992, Li forced out Dennis McGillicuddy, an earth and planetary sciences tutor, by moving into a married couples' suite McGillicuddy and his fiance wanted--even though Li isn't married.

The tutors said Li forced McGillicuddy out to open up a position for Fiona Murray, an environmental studies tutor, who they said was romantically involved with Li.

Vincent says he did "nothing wrong," though he concedes that it may have been inappropriate for him to be present at the student interview with his brother. Schroeder, Murray, and Young all told The Crimson they were hired on their own merit. William Li declined to comment.

Liem, who has the final say on all tutor hirings, says he trusts Li "immensely" and has been close with him ever since Li was his advisee in the Biology Department as an undergraduate. But he has made repeated firm denials that he was influenced by Li on the four hirings.

"Tutor hiring at Dunster has been conducted under the highest standards," Liem wrote in a letter to the Crimson. "There have been no improprieties in our choice of tutors."

Now, Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57, refusing to act officially because no formal complaint had been filed, has left any investigation of whether Li did influence Liem to one person: Liem himself.

"If there are serious violations and intentional violations, then the master might feel action should be taken," Jewett said in May. "We will leave it up to the house master to decide this."

Some tutors think Jewett's decision virtually shut the door on any possible proper investigation.

"I can't see a situation where Karel would fire Vince because of nepotism," Lin said.