PETITION TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF DAVIDSON COLLEGE

THAT THE COLLEGE FORMALLY ADOPT THE “DAVIDSON COLLEGE COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION” STATEMENT

April 8, 2022

The fall 2021 independent, confidential Survey of Davidson College Students documented that self-censorship and limits on free expression are common at Davidson.

71% of Davidson respondents said they have felt they could not express their opinion at least occasionally on a subject because of how students, a professor, or the administration would respond;
Only 16% of respondents said that they are very comfortable expressing their views on a controversial topic in class;

Only 27% of Davidson students answered that it is extremely or very likely that the administration would defend the speaker’s right to express their views if a controversy over offensive speech were to occur on campus;
88% of respondents strongly or somewhat strongly agreed that Davidson’s next president should make freedom of speech and open, civil, discourse on campus a high priority;79% said that Davidson’s next president should make the adoption and implementation of the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression a high priority.

In recognition of reported free expression issues at Davidson, President Carol Quillen appointed a task force in the fall of 2021, consisting of Issac Bailey, Visiting Batten Professor of Communication Studies (chair), professor Susan Roberts, trustee Beadsie Woo, alumnus Governor James G. Martin, and students Varun Maheshwari and Jared Herr, to produce a statement that affirms free expression on campus in a way unique to Davidson.

Described by the College as “clear, concise, and timeless,” the document DAVIDSON COLLEGE COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION—produced unanimously by this team on December 1, 2021, is strongly endorsed by the alumni group DFTD, which has urged the College for over three years to adopt the Chicago Principles of Free Expression or a version thereof specific to Davidson.

Formal adoption of Chicago Principles-like statements is essential to providing standing for the policies stated in them and for boosting efforts in new student orientation and in the classroom to advance a wholesome climate of free exchange of ideas and positions. Thus, of the 83 other universities and colleges that have formally adopted the Chicago Principles or their equivalent, in 38 instances, formal adoption was done by multiple bodies including the board of trustees/regents, faculty, and student government association; in 27 cases, adoption was by the Board alone; and in 18 cases, adoption was by the faculty alone.

We are aware of no announcement that the Trustees or any other official body plans to consider the Commitment to Freedom of Expression statement for adoption. It is our belief that it would be a vital step forward for Davidson College to take a clear stand on this issue. If commitment to free expression is to have the same standing at our College as the venerable Honor Code—as we believe it must—formal adoption by the Board of Trustees of the Statement is essential, and we hope that it will be similarly adopted by the faculty and Student Government Association.

We the undersigned alumni/ae therefore respectfully petition the Board of Trustees to adopt the DAVIDSON COLLEGE COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION STATEMENT and to encourage formal adoption by the Davidson College faculty and Student Government Association.

SIGNATORIES TO THE PETITION as of June 2, 2022

TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE PETITION SIGNATORIES, EMAIL JOHN CRAIG AT [email protected]. PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR NAME AS YOU WISH IT TO APPEAR ON THE PETITION AND YOUR DAVIDSON CLASS YEAR.

Sterling Abernathy '70
Luis Abreu '78
Eugene W. Adcock III MD '62
Hall Barnett '83
Lowrie Beacham, '65
Ken Bell '78
Leonel L. Benoist '93
G. Alex Bernhardt Sr.'65*
Barry Bishop '68
Tim Bode '79
Gordon Bondurant '57
Stewart M. Boswell '78
Bob Bowden '82
Bill Bradley '69
Pat Bryant '85
Constance Buehler '82
Dobbin Callahan '67
Robert B. Cameron '67
Dan Campbell '66
Thomas J. Campen '73
Daniel Carrell '63 *
John R. Carter '70
Kris Childress '78
John B. Clark, Jr. MD '69
William M. Clark MD '66*
Norman G. Cole *Jr. '67
Mary Kathryn Cone '02
David Cormak '76
Andrew W. Countryman '02
John E. Craig, Jr. '66
Ken Crews '70*
Christopher J. Crosby '79
Wayne M. Cross '77
Patrick Currie '90
William K. Davis '60*
Donald Davis '66
David W. Donahower '83
Thomas S. Douglas III '59*
E. Tazewell Ellett '74
Elizabeth Elmore '03
Chuck Elyea '84
Michael F. Eubanks '76
Kelly Fitzgerald '21
Frank Folger '74
William H. Ford Jr. '65
R. H. Foss '05
Brad Glosson '92
Dr. James C. Goodloe IV, '75
R. Scott Goodwin '80
Daniel Gresham '68
William F. Halligan '73
Frank Hannacock '76
Jon Hart '79
Dr. J. Chris Hawk III '67*
Richard Hendrix '74
Earl J. Hesterberg Jr. '75*
Bryant Hinnant '67
Timothy H. Hose '76
Brad Huggins '77
William H. Hyder '96
Dr. George K. Ibrahim '84
Edward P. Imbrogno '81*
Clifford P. Johnson '77
Mark Johnson '93
Michael O. Johnson '69
Samuel P. Jones '66
Graeme Keith '54*
Michael D. Kelly '73
Bruce Kemp '78
Dr. James G. Killebrew Jr. '64
Jerry Kriebel '67
Gerald F. Kroll '70
J. Gilmour Lake '58
Raymond Lassiter '73
E. W. Buck Lawrimore '66
Raymond B. Ledford Jr. '67
James Christopher Lee '91
Robert E. Lewis '73
Stephen F. Lewis, MD '79
Edward R. Lindsey '76
George M. Loy '76
Daniel K. McAlister '60
John F. McCartney '74*
Dorn McGrath '78
Ann Hunter McLean '85
James R. McNab Jr. '66*
Frank McShane '75
Ross Manire '74*
Joseph B. Martin IV '89
The Honorable James G. Martin '57*
William N. Mathis '88*
Henry Mitchell III '85
David W. Mockbee '71
Dr. Mark D. Monson '74
Luther T. Moore '69
Southwood J. Morcott '60
William Morris '16
Steve Morris '74
Elliott Motley, IV '66
Dr. William Mullis
The Honorable Gregory F. Murphy '85*
Robert L. Murray '78
John L. Napier '69
Jeff Neikirk ‘76
Lewis G. Norman '65
Mark A. Nottingham '84
Diane Cooper Odom '82
Rick Offutt '75
Curtis Ott '89
Bryan M. Overcash '89
Mike Owen '63
Michael S. Pappas '76
Lyman Parrigin '71
Marce M. Pearson '63
Michael Peskosky '78
Jimmy Poole '67
Ronald M. Powell '76
Timothy P. Purcell '78
Robert Rapp '48
Mitchell W. Reaves '76
Don D. Reid '54
Johnathan L. Rhyne Jr. '77
Len Richardson '62
Eppa Rixy IV '76
Chip Robertson '67
Shep Robinson '85
Dr. J. Gardiner R. Roddey Jr. '85
W. Allen Rogers II '68
Thomas T. Ross '63
James H. Rostan '67
Sally Neal '81
Stephen H. Sands '68*
Paula Schmitz '77
David Shepler '71
Patrick J. Sheridan '81
Scotty Shipp '73
James Gregory Sikes MD '72
H. H. Sims Jr. '62
Steve Simmons '66
Thomas D. Simmons Jr.'66
Stephen B. Smith '66*
Richard A. Snipes Jr. '71
Robert Spalding '13
Verner Stanley, Jr. '61
Bill Staples '66
Adam Stockstill '01
William R. Stroud '84
David Sweatt '70
Bernard Swope '63
Richard Tankard '88
Dr. William G. Tanner Jr. '89
Barry A. Teague '65
Patrick G. Trask '93
Robert S. Ukrop Jr. '92
Samuel E. Upchurch Jr. '74
Bruce Van Sant '60
Nicholas D. Viest '82
Henry Van Wagenberg '07
Charles F. Wherry '63
David H. Waddill '81*
Dr. Wilson K. Wallace '63
Dr. Charles R. Weber '76
David H. Webster '61
David West '84
Craig White, MD '82
Worth Williamson '62
Gray Wilson '73
Hadley Wilson '76
Dr. William P. Winkenwerder '76*
Frank N. Woodward '79
Kenny Xu '19
Dr. R. Craig Yoder '74

*DC Trustee Emeritus