The new rules also required tutors to reapply to the House each year, with their applications to be reviewed by the advisory committee.

In order to evaluate the new rules and protect student interests in the process, two seniors revived the process, two seniors revived the defunct Dunster Students for Free Expression.

The students, Ted G. Rose '94 and Jesse M. Furman '94, sent letters to all Dunster residents claiming Li and Liem had shown "a troubling lack of concern for free expression."

Rose, who is a Crimson editor, said in October that 10 students told him they were afraid to speak out on the hiring controversy, out of fear of reprisals from the Liems.

Thirty-five members of Dunster Students for Free Expression composed a list of questions about the hiring controversy presented the questions to Liem.

The students also requested increased student involvement in tutor selection, an explanation for the lack of tutors in several concentrations and the appointment of a third co-chair of the committee that advises pre-meds.

Students expressed concern that since the Li brothers chaired the pre-med committee, disagreements with the Lis in another context might be reflected in their medical school recommendations.

Public Meeting

At Jewett's suggestion, Liem called a public meeting moderated by officials from the Harvard Mediation Service to address student concerns. During the meeting, Liem announced a number of changes in the hiring policy.

He reduced the amount of time one needed to have graduated before becoming a tutor from five years to four. He also made exemptions to the policy for current tutors, thus allowing Bear, an outspoken critic of Liem and the Lis, to remain.

Liem said he would place himself on the pre-med committee to alleviate the fears that the Lis would be biased. Some students criticized this move an not being a significant change.

Liem also took responsibility for miscommunication and increased tensions in the house, formally apologizing for "not providing `masterly' leadership."

Liem said the Li brothers would retract their letters threatening six tutors with libel suits and apologize to those tutors.

But the Li brothers refused to comply with Liem's request. After the meeting, William Li told The Crimson he "had not decided yet" whether he would issue a written retraction.

Later in October, in the first interview he granted with the press, Vincent Li said that he had received more than a dozen harassing phone calls since the issue was brought up last year and was "living in constant fear."