John Mavroudis' Response To Dr. Chryssavgis

Greek Orthodox Stewards of America - May 31, 1999

NEWS

May 17, 1999

Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis
Hellenic College
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
50 Goddard Avenue
Brookline, MA 02146

Dear Reverend Dr. Chryssavgis:

With great regret, I am compelled to respond to your letter of April 21, 1999 to NEASC and ATS. Your letter is not only false and misleading but also particularly offensive to the spirit of collegiality and open discussion fostered by the good work of the Presidential Commission on Accreditation, the Board of Trustees and Corporate Members of Hellenic College and its students and faculty. On a personal basis, I am saddened by your demeanor and approach. I pray that you will act otherwise if you allow reasoning, prudence and sound judgment, rather than emotions, to guide your actions.

I further regret that you have attacked my personal and professional integrity in a manner which was widely circulated in the Greek Press and otherwise. I unequivocally reject your claim that I counseled you "not to reveal information" or made any suggestion that you in any way mislead NEASC or ATS, withhold or distort information or otherwise act contrary to the procedural and substantive requirements of these agencies governing accreditation. There is no basis for this claim, which I consider preposterous under the circumstances. My actions, appearances and communications to NEASC and ATS on behalf of Hellenic College and to the broad consistency of Hellenic College and the Archdiocese speak for themselves.

I urge you to comport yourself in a manner consistent with your position as a clergyman, an esteemed member of the faculty and professor at Hellenic College. I have always encouraged you to participate in this capacity in the ongoing governance review of Hellenic College in a constructive and collegial manner. You have apparently misunderstood and/or misinterpreted my advise. Furthermore, your attempt to revisit facts and circumstances that occurred prior to the June 1998 decision of NEASC and ATS is misplaced.

Finally, I only first learned from communications that I received late last week that you are experiencing difficulty concerning the continued education of your children in the local school district of Brookline. At the time of our last telephone conversation, I was totally unaware of this matter and regret that you did not advise me of the same.

I ask that you retract the statements and requests made in your letter of April 21, 1999 to the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and The Association of Theological Schools.

I would be happy to discuss these matter with you at length, if you wish to contact me.

Very truly yours,
John M. Mavroudis

cc:  His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon
      Very Rev. Damaskinos V. Ganas, President
      The Most Reverend Metropolitans of the Holy Eparchial Synod
      Dr. Charles Cook
      Dr. Daniel Aleshire

[ Greek Orthodox Stewards of America
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May 31, 1999 ]