A resident tutor in Dunster House said early yesterday she has resigned in protest of a threat from two other resident tutors to sue her for slander and libel.

The announcement came on the same day Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles expressed "concern" about the reappearance of a tutor conflict at Dunster House.

Sophie A. Volpp '85, a resident tutor for two years in East Asian Languages and Civilizations, is the third tutor to resign from Dunster House in protest in the past four months.

Volpp, who officially left last Tuesday, was one of eight tutors who said Vincent W. Li '87 may have influenced the house master in the hirings of his brother Dr. William W. Li '84, and three longtime friends.

Two weeks ago, Richard A. Brown '86, lawyer for Vincent and William Li, sent six tutors a letter threatening to sue if they took "any further actions to propagate false and professionally damaging information."

In her resignation letter to House Master Karel F. Liem, Volpp wrote that she had hoped that last May's events had blown over and that she had wanted to continue serving as a tutor.

"Unfortunately," she wrote, "the letter from Vincent and William Li's `attorney' has convinced me there is little hope of resuscitating a cooperative environment."

Liem did not return repeated phone calls made yesterday and last week. Acting Senior Tutor Mark Mueller refused to comment on the situation.

But in an interview yesterday morning, Knowles said that both he and Jewett are looking into recent student and tutor concerns in the house.

"I am staying close to what is being done," Knowles said. "And I know there is intense discussion going on with the twin goals of calming the waters and ensuring support for Dunster residents."

Sources said one tutor has filed a formal grievance with Knowles. The dean did notcomment on the grievance yesterday.

Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 saidyesterday he has been meeting with Liem to"resolve problems that may exist." He refused tocomment further.

In a telephone interview early yesterdaymorning, Volpp said she felt "shocked," "angry"and "threatened" by the letter.

"The clear purpose of the letter was tointimidate, threaten, and cause insecurity," shesaid. "It seemed clearly a bluff. But it was abluff so transparent that I felt it wasinsulting."

Volpp wrote that the timing of the letter was"absurd" and calculated to cause "maximum damageon the community."

Although she said she was sorry to leaveDunster, Volpp "chose to resign because I justfelt in order to function at 100 percent in thatsituation I would have to pour in 200 percent ofenergy. It is a very unstable environment for me."