At today’s faculty meeting, Associate Professor of Psychology Scott Tonidandel, who is the faculty representative on the Alumni Association Board, read an Alumni Board statement on the presidential bylaw into the faculty meeting minutes. It states:

The Board of the Alumni Association believes that every alumnus/a of Davidson College and every other candidate should be eligible to be considered for the position of president of the college without regard to religious affiliation.  Further, the Board believes that at those moments in time when future Davidson presidents are chosen, the best person to lead the institution may not always be found within a single religious denomination or affiliation.  To the extent the governing documents of Davidson College are inconsistent with these beliefs, they should be modified.

Also at the faculty meeting, Professor Doug Ottati, the Craig Family Distinguished Professor of Reformed Theology and Justice, proposed a resolution, which the faculty adopted by majority vote. After the resolution was proposed, he shared a statement, which is posted here. The resolution states:

The faculty of Davidson College expresses its disappointment with the Board of Trustees’ decision to continue to exclude people from full participation in the life of the college because of religious affiliation. The faculty of Davidson College would like to express its solidarity with members of the board who continue to support equality. 

The Board of Trustees welcomes feedback from the Davidson community and appreciates the thoughtful and respectful process that both the faculty and the Alumni Association Board followed to create them. In addition, we encourage students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff to share their opinions at talk.davidson.edu.

Mackey McDonald ’68

Chair, Board of Trustees

The committee has followed a rigorous, thorough and thoughtful process, one that engaged a wide range of the Davidson family. The committee has worked hard to understand the college’s faith tradition and relationship with the Presbyterian Church from all perspectives. The committee has discussed at length the Reformed Tradition values considered to have shaped the college’s principles and practices, and those that most contribute to its distinctiveness. The committee has concluded that Davidson’s distinctiveness is real and genuine, and Davidson’s church-relatedness has been a significant contributing factor to that distinctiveness.

Our discussions have taken place in a broadly diverse community—one made up of students, faculty, alumni, parents, staff and friends who come to Davidson from around the world, representing a range of generations, backgrounds, opinions and experiences. One of the things we value most about this remarkable community is its ability to discuss difficult issues while respecting those with whom we don’t agree.

As a result of extensive conversations on this subject, and as part of our meeting yesterday, the Board of Trustees came to the following conclusions:

• The Board reaffirmed the Statement of Purpose and the continued voluntary relationship between the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Davidson College.
• The Board acknowledged that there are differing views among the Trustees with regard to the Presidential Bylaw and recognized that there does not exist sufficient support for any particular change to it.
• The Board will ensure that appropriate methods are in place to engage with the college community on an ongoing basis about the college’s faith heritage and relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA).

As always, Davidson remains strongly and passionately committed to its values of free inquiry, service and leadership, honor and integrity, humility, and diversity. The commitment to these values is driven in no small part by the Reformed Tradition, which upholds the dignity and worth of every person and therefore values members of the community who come from a different or no religious tradition. We admit, enroll, and employ the most talented students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds with the belief that they all contribute to a community where faith and reason work together to foster growth in learning, understanding, and wisdom.

Mackey McDonald ’68
Chair, Davidson College Board of Trustees

The bylaw states, “The trustees shall elect a President of the College who shall serve as the chief executive officer of the college. They shall elect only a person who is a loyal and active church member, whose life provides evidence of strong Christian faith and commitment. Such faith and commitment will be appropriately expressed by affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and active participation in the life of Davidson College Presbyterian Church.”

The board agreed that it was appropriate to undertake a review of the Presidential Bylaw, but not in the midst of a presidential search. In December 2010, the board announced that the discussion would begin within a year after the new president took office. Carol Quillen began as president of Davidson College on August 1, 2011.

The Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness was created in January 2012. The Board of Trustees appointed the following trustees as members of the TCCR: Richard Boyce ’77; Ed Kizer ’61; Elizabeth Brooks Mailander ’85; Mackey McDonald ’68 (Ex Officio); Sara Tatum Pottenger  ’79; Ernie Reigel ’80; William Rikard ’67, Chair; Carole Weinstein; Ben Williams ’84; and Janet Wilson.

The Committee’s Work
In April 2012, the Committee on Church-Relatedness began its work. The committee was charged with examining the Presidential Bylaw in the context of the college’s relationship to the Presbyterian Church and the meaning that the college draws from that relationship. Specifically, the committee’s responsibilities were:

• To review the history of the College’s relationship with the Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Tradition.
• To engage and educate the Board in a fuller understanding of the College’s religious heritage, relationship with the Presbyterian Church, and reliance on the Reformed Tradition for guiding principles and institutional practices.
• To establish a foundation from which the Board of Trustees can have an ongoing discussion about the meaning and significance of the College’s church-relatedness.
• To make such recommendations, if any, to the Board of Trustees as it determines appropriate.

The committee’s process included:

• Educating themselves about Davidson’s heritage with the Presbyterian Church and the college’s grounding in the Reformed Tradition. This step included presentations by College Chaplain Rob Spach ’84 and Doug Ottati, the Craig Family Distinguished Professor of Reformed Theology and Justice; and reading books and articles about the Reformed Tradition.
• Reviewing legal and historical materials related to the trustee bylaws and the Reformed Tradition.
• Understanding more fully the role of faith in the “Davidson Experience.”\
• Identifying and studying more than 20 church-affiliated colleges and universities to understand each school’s historical church relatedness and how it had evolved over the years.
• Designing a community conversation that is respectful and candid, and that allows for every constituent to participate and hear others’ thoughts. This community conversation included on-campus meetings with various constituent groups, including students, faculty, staff as well as members of the Board of Visitors, Alumni Association Board and the Davidson Athletic Foundation. In addition, a questionnaire was sent by US Mail and email to alumni, parents and friends, and the Davidsonian conducted a survey of current students.
• Soliciting feedback from the Davidson family. Over the course of its work, the committee reviewed more than 1,100 responses from members of the Davidson College community.

In its engagement with the Davidson community, the committee has worked hard to understand the college’s faith tradition and relationship with the Presbyterian Church from all perspectives. The committee discussed at length the Reformed Tradition values considered to have shaped the college’s principles and practices, and that most contribute to its distinctiveness. These values include free inquiry, service and justice, inclusiveness, honor and integrity, and humility. The committee concluded that that Davidson’s distinctiveness is real and genuine, and Davidson’s church-relatedness has been a significant contributing factor to that distinctiveness. 

The Board’s Actions
On January 31, the Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness presented its findings to the full Board. Guided by the extensive work of the committee, the Board discussed the religious requirement of the Presidential Bylaw. Given the wide range of views expressed on the topic, the Board elected to further discuss the issue at its April meeting, allowing time for further conversation and examination.

On April 16, the Board of Trustees came to the following conclusions:

• The Board reaffirmed the Statement of Purpose and the continued voluntary relationship between the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Davidson College.
• The Board acknowledged that there are differing views among the Trustees with regard to the Presidential Bylaw and recognized that there does not exist sufficient support for any particular change to it.
• The Board will ensure that appropriate methods are in place to engage with the college community on an ongoing basis about the college’s faith heritage and relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA).

In Closing
The Board thanks the Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness for its conscientious work and study on this issue. These issues are complicated, and our discussion takes place in a broadly diverse community—one made up of students, faculty, alumni, parents, staff and friends who come to Davidson from around the world, representing a range of generations, backgrounds, opinions and experiences.

One of the things we value most about this remarkable community is its ability to discuss difficult issues while respecting those with whom we don’t agree.

As always, Davidson remains strongly and passionately committed to its values of free inquiry, service and leadership, honor and integrity, humility, and diversity. The commitment to these values is driven in no small part by the Reformed Tradition, which upholds the dignity and worth of every person and therefore values members of the community who come from a different or no religious tradition. We admit, enroll, and employ the most talented students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds with the belief that they all contribute to a community where faith and reason work together to foster growth in learning, understanding, and wisdom.

On January 31, the Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness led the full Board in a thorough discussion of the committee’s extensive work on Davidson’s church-relatedness, including the religious requirement of the presidential requirements bylaw.

The conversation was candid, thoughtful and mutually respectful, and a wide range of views was expressed. The Board will continue to explore and examine this issue during our next meeting.

In the meantime, the committee has made available the summary of its survey of the Davidson community. As a reminder, that survey was fielded over the summer to alumni, parents, students, faculty and staff. This summary of the survey results is now available at http://talk.davidson.edu.

Thank you for all you do for Davidson.

Mackey McDonald ’68

Chair, Board of Trustees

This past summer, members of the Davidson campus community received an invitation from the Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness to respond to a question about Davidson’s religious heritage, the values that define the college, and ways in which those values might be experienced.  The form of the question differed somewhat for alumni, faculty and staff, current students, and their parents in order to best reflect each group’s particular affiliation with the college.  The specific questions received by each group of prospective respondents are included in their respective sections.

As one would expect from the Davidson community, responses to the questions put forth by the Committee were thoughtful, articulate, and civil.  Davidson was described in terms that reflect its highest standards and principles, even when respondents didn’t agree about their source.  There was near universal agreement that, whatever the source, how values were realized at Davidson was deeper and more enduring than one might find on other campuses or within other organizations.  Whether prompted by the Reformed Tradition or the college’s Presbyterian heritage, other religious affiliations, or the moral and ethical behaviors one might reasonably hope to find in all good people, the defining characteristic of Davidson, as expressed by most respondents, is its culture of honor.

Several themes emerged across all respondent groups.  Even as individual respondents wrote about the effect that Davidson had on their personal endeavors, there was often an underlying awareness of community, in some form, and the effect individual choices have on others.  That is, an engagement with Davidson has the potential to radiate beyond the campus and beyond the any one person’s affiliation with it.

There was also an awareness of how one’s personal experiences, beliefs, and actions might be perceived by others within or external to the Davidson community.  At the same time, there was no indication that beliefs or actions were influenced by what others might think of them, nor was there evidence of an imperative to convince others that one’s particular beliefs or actions were the only way in which to lead a productive and principled life.

Finally, there is an underlying optimism that lives of leadership and service are not at odds with the world as a whole and are, in fact, consistent with Davidson’s place within it. Especially among alumni respondents, Davidson often provided an environment that nurtured an instinct already present and strengthened a resolve to live that life.  For some, that resolve can be traced to the college’s heritage; for others, it is independent of it.  For a small number, nurturing that resolve in future generations is threatened by a perception that the college’s heritage is in danger of being forgotten.

A brief description of themes by respondent group follows.  Given the thoughtful and articulate writing referred to above, however, individual responses that best exemplify those themes have been given priority over summarization.

Constituent Responses

 Alumni

The Davidson community is accustomed to hearing or speaking about the ways in which the college’s religious heritage affects the life of the college. As the Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness continues its work, which includes developing a better understanding of the values derived from that heritage, we would like to hear more about the variety of ways Davidson’s alumni have made connections between the college’s values and their post-Davidson lives.  Are there two or three ways your experiences at Davidson have influenced your life, or the lives of others, that you can share with the committee?

Based on details contained within the responses, it appears to be a reasonable conclusion that they represent a wide swath of graduation years and life experiences since leaving the college.  Certainly they represent a variety of opinions on the role of religion and Davidson’s historical relationship with the Presbyterian Church.

Among the respondents were Presbyterians who did not attribute the values instilled in them to the Presbyterian Church or the college’s relationship with it, and Presbyterians who considered such a connection obvious and worth protecting.  There were respondents from religious traditions other than Christianity who attributed the same values to the tenets of those traditions as well as those who recognized a commonality across all faith traditions.  There were respondents without religious beliefs of any kind who considered honor, service, and ethical actions to be simply reflective of the values one has been taught, and that while a religious tradition may provide an organizational context for some, it is far from a prerequisite for all.

Respondents referred to the  “continuing influence” and “profound effect” on their lives of Davidson faculty and staff for whom religious faith was important and other faculty and staff whose religious beliefs were unknown but whose lives exemplified the same tenets of honesty, respect, and service.

One theme in the alumni responses was the way in which values learned or affirmed at Davidson—however derived—influenced both personal and professional aspects of one’s life.  Alumni described the importance of a general commitment of service to others but also described the ways in which the “strong ethical base” Davidson had provided was reflected in the way one’s career was engaged.  One respondent described a similar influence across multiple careers as well as on the various aspects of personal and family life.

Some respondents acknowledged a change during their student years regarding the increased importance placed on trust and integrity. Other respondents credited experiences after Davidson with a more profound and relevant effect on their lives than their experiences as students.

There were respondents who reframed the question in order to write about the particular issue that prompted the formation of the Trustee Committee.  The language in which these opinions were delivered was almost always reasoned and courteous, and the opinions themselves intended to fortify the college for its place in a changing world.  Respondents who advocated for continuing the requirement that the college’s president be an active member of the Presbyterian Church described an anchoring effect and a recognition of common values.  Respondents who advocated for its removal noted a changing alumni base not reflected in the requirement, and that common values and ethical behavior need not be grounded in a religious tradition.  For some, Davidson’s affiliation with the Presbyterian Church, as reflected in the requirement that the president be Presbyterian, is what sets it apart from other excellent liberal arts colleges.  For others, the requirement is contrary to the open and welcoming environment that is Davidson at its most fundamental.

Still others chose to reframe the question in order to write about their Davidson experiences and its influence on their lives with no reference to its religious heritage.  In some of those responses, a faculty member, administrator, or fellow student was the catalyst behind an insight that changed or strengthened the way the respondent perceived the world.  In others, the influence was more general, “Davidson” as place and experience.

Faculty and Staff

As the Trustee Committee on Church Relatedness continues its work, we would like to hear more about the variety of ways the Davidson community makes connections between the college’s values and work at Davidson.  Are there two or three ways those values influence you that you can share with the committee?

Honor and integrity, a balanced approach in both the classroom and laboratory, respect for others and for their ideas are hallmarks of Davidson for respondents among the faculty and staff.  Davidson’s values are reflected in how professors teach and conduct their research, in how staff function, and in interactions across all constituencies.  Words that appeared over and over in these responses were honesty, integrity, respect, truth, and service to others.  One respondent spoke to the perception that the Davidson community is held to a higher ethical standard than seen on other campuses, and that this standard is reflected in professional activities, interactions among community members, and in the way one presents oneself to others.

In general, faculty and staff did not feel those aspects of Davidson were necessarily due to its relationship with the Presbyterian Church.  More often they were described as independent of the college’s relationship with the church or at least not directly drawn from it, even if consistent with it.  In fact, consistency is a recurring phrase in the faculty and staff responses.  There is no sense that the college’s heritage insists on actions or beliefs that would not be part of the Davidson community regardless.  There is evidence of a compatibility between personal beliefs and the values of that community.

At the same time, some respondents expressed concerns that there were implicit exclusionary policies that compromised the college’s ability to provide good examples for students.  On a campus where the values on which all agree are lived daily, regardless of religious affiliation, an exclusionary practice with respect to one office, that of the president, is perceived as a contradiction not easily explained.

One respondent noted that the fact that Davidson has a connection to a religion frees him or her to bring theology or God into classroom discussions in a way that might not be possible to do on a secular campus. In general, respondents with religious convictions found a comfortable environment and those with none found an environment that does not consider honor and morality to be dependent on Christian beliefs.

Others, however, considered the college’s relationship with the Presbyterian Church critical when selecting a president even, as some respondents noted, the Board of Trustees is strengthened when comprised of individuals with a variety of beliefs.  For those respondents, the office of the president is perceived as particularly reflective of the college’s heritage.

Most responses were framed positively.  A handful were negative and almost equally associated with or against the college’s religious affiliation.  In those cases, faculty or staff who believed the association with the Presbyterian Church was weakening also believed that expressions of faith had been stifled. Faculty or staff who perceived a disproportionate emphasis on religious affiliation took offense at the implication that service and dedication to Davidson values were at risk without it. 

Students

As a student at Davidson, you have probably heard, or been a participant in, discussions about the ways in which the college’s religious heritage affects the life of the college.  As the Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness continues its work, which includes developing a better understanding of the values derived from that heritage, we would like to hear more about the variety of ways Davidson’s students may have made connections between the college’s values and their lives.  Are there two or three ways your experiences at Davidson have influenced your life, or the lives of others, that you can share with the committee?

A minority perception among students was that any disengagement from the Presbyterian church would dishonor Davidson’s Christian values because community and service to others is part of the Christian mission.  Instead, most student responses clustered around a common theme.  Davidson, according to these respondents, instills a higher work ethic and greater appreciation of service than other colleges but that neither is dependent on any religious tradition.  The desire to embody Davidson values of honesty, integrity, and compassion is personal; it may reflect a student’s religious or secular background and its expression may be as varied as the students themselves.  Those values, say most student respondents, have intrinsic worth.

Students noted the sense of community and an environment that encouraged personal growth.  While some further noted a positive effect of the college’s association with the Presbyterian Church, they felt it could not, by itself, explain the uniqueness of Davidson.

Parents

Within the Davidson community, there are often discussions about the college’s religious heritage and the life of the college.  As the Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness continues its work, which includes developing a better understanding of the values derived from that heritage, we would like to hear more about the ways parents of Davidson students perceive those values and their effect on students’ experiences.  Are there ways you see Davidson influencing the life of your son or daughter that you can share with the committee?

Many parent respondents spoke about the particular experiences of their son or daughter at Davidson, or the considerations—such as academic rigor, strong faculty, curriculum, and the honor code—they had deliberated when choosing a college.  For the most part, families with religious traditions that were not Presbyterian or other forms of Christianity reported that their sons and daughters were comfortable with the atmosphere of openness and acceptance on campus.

At the same time, there were others among the parent respondents who described the college’s religious heritage as a critical component when deciding to include Davidson in their college search.  Those responses were more often from the parents’ perspective rather than the assumed effect on their sons or daughters.  That is, these were responses that often began with some form of “as a parent…” and spoke to a sense of security that their sons or daughters were enveloped in the college’s heritage.

As with all the respondent groups, parents had views on the college’s heritage that often differed widely.  Some were concerned that the Christian values they believed underlay American society were being set aside in an attempt to endorse, encourage, or, in the words of one, condone diversity.  Others were equally insistent on the need to move away from a strictly Christian definition of values and to recognize the place of those same values in faiths as diverse as Buddhism, Judaism, and African spirituality. Still others described a personal code of conduct not based in any religious tradition, a code that resonated with Davidson’s honor code and the importance placed on understanding and respecting others.

Regarding the ways in which parents see Davidson influencing the lives of their sons and daughters, there is strong agreement that the influence is positive and encouraging.  Many described interactions with faculty, staff, and students as “genuine” “sincere,” and “welcoming;” others acknowledged the presence of the honor code and emphasis on service. In writing about Davidson’s influence, as they had when writing about the college generally, some parents made a direct connection with religious heritage.  For others, again, the influence is based on an atmosphere that is tied to Davidson but not necessarily to its relationship with a particular church.  For still others, the influence is embedded in Davidson values that are not attributed to religious heritage of any kind.  Faculty and staff, and, especially, other students provided inspiration and concrete examples of dedication, purpose, and achievement for their sons and daughters.

In response to our questions sent to the different constituents in our family in July, we have received many thoughtful responses. On Tuesday, August 28, 2012, our committee met and received a preliminary report on those responses. Work on a final report from the July communication is under way and will be submitted to the Board of Trustees at their October 12, 2012 meeting. After the Board of Trustees has had an opportunity to review and discuss the response, a summary report will be shared with the entire Davidson community.

The committee continues its work, including hearing from constituent groups of the college. We met with staff in August and will meet in the next several weeks with students, faculty representatives, the Board of Visitors, the Alumni Board, and the Davidson Athletic Foundation Board.

Our goal is to submit a report and recommendation to the Board of Trustees at its January 2013 meeting.

William L. Rikard, Jr. ’67
Chair, Committee on Church-Relatedness

On behalf of Trustee Committee on Church-Relatedness
Richard Boyce ’77
Ed Kizer ’61
Elizabeth Brooks Mailander ’85
Mackey McDonald ’68 (Ex Officio)
Sara Tatum Pottenger ’79
Ernie Reigel ’80
William Rikard ’67, Chair
Carole Weinstein
Ben Williams ’84
Janet Wilson

Benne, Robert. Quality With Soul: How Six Premier Colleges and Universities Keep Faith With Their Religious Traditions. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2001.

Burtchaell, James Tunstead. The Dying of the Light: The Disengagement of Colleges and Universities from Their Christian Churches. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Pub., 1998.

Delbanco, Andrew. College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2012.

Patel, Eboo. Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation. Boston: Beacon, 2007.

Sacks, Jonathan. The Dignity of Difference: How to Avoid the Clash of Civilizations. London: Continuum, 2002.

The committee met on campus for most of the day on Wednesday, June 6. We had helpful presentations by College Chaplain Rob Spach ’84 and Doug Ottati, the Craig Family Distinguished Professor of Reformed Theology and Justice. With them, we discussed the practical implications of the Reformed Tradition and our Presbyterian heritage in the daily life of Davidson College. We established a target date of the January 2013 trustee meeting for our committee’s report.

We are eager to hear your thoughts about the college’s religious heritage and its core values, and so we will send you a questionnaire in early July. The questionnaire is brief, and we hope that you will take the time to complete it. We also are preserving and paying close attention to the e-mails and letters that many of you have sent to us in the past few months.

The committee has read and discussed several books about the Reformed Tradition, as well as legal and historical material related to Davidson. In addition, we are examining how other schools have engaged in reviews like this one. We will post more information about our work at talk.davidson.edu.

Our committee will meet again in late August, and I will send another update shortly after that. In the meantime, I hope you’ll watch for our questionnaire in early July. If you have thoughts you would like to share before then, please e-mail talk@davidson.edu or contact members of the committee.

Committee on Church-Relatedness
Richard Boyce ’77
Ed Kizer ’61
Elizabeth Brooks Mailander ’85
Mackey McDonald ’68 (Ex Officio)
Sara Tatum Pottenger ’79
Ernie Reigel ’80
William Rikard ’67, Chair
Carole Weinstein
Ben Williams ’84
Janet Wilson

First, a brief reminder about the committee and our work: As Mackey explained in his recent email, our committee grew out of the 2010-11 presidential search, which prompted questions about the Presidential Requirements Bylaw. The trustees periodically review the bylaws, and we agreed in December 2010 to undertake an examination of this bylaw within a year after the new president took office.

Let me be clear from the start: Our Presbyterian affiliation is not in doubt. Rather, our charge is to understand the college’s relationship with the Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Faith, and, in that context, review the Presidential Requirements Bylaw.

Thus far, our committee has met twice, and we have begun to educate ourselves about Davidson’s heritage with the Presbyterian Church and our grounding in the Reformed Tradition. We are now developing a process that will guide our efforts. In the next 4 to 6 weeks, our committee plans to accomplish the following:

• Review legal and historical materials related to the trustee bylaws and the Reformed Tradition.
• Better understand the role of faith in the “Davidson Experience.”
• Identify other colleges and universities that have contemplated a change in institutional bylaws and obtain information about them.
• Design a community conversation that is respectful and candid, and that allows for every constituent to participate and hear others’ thoughts during the next several months.
• Establish a target timeline for this review that does not belabor the steps, but guarantees a reasoned and thoughtful dialogue and decision.

By early June, I will be back in touch with you regarding our planned process and a target timetable. We also intend to reach out to you during the summer months to solicit your valued input and advice.

I echo Mackey’s assurance that this will be a thoughtful and open dialogue, one that reflects Davidson’s commitment to the highest standards of inquiry and discourse. On behalf of the committee, I ask that you take the opportunity to be part of this discussion. Each of us is shaped by our own experience—but this community conversation will allow us to hear and learn from the experiences of others. That is consistent with what we value most about Davidson.

If you have thoughts you’d like to share in the coming weeks, please e-mail talk@davidson.edu, or contact any of the trustee committee members listed below. Thank you for participating in this process and letting your voice be heard.

William Rikard ’67
Chair, Committee on Church-Relatedness

Committee on Church-Relatedness

Richard Boyce ’77
Ed Kizer ’61
Elizabeth Brooks Mailander ’85
Mackey McDonald ’68 (Ex Officio)
Sara Tatum Pottenger ’79
Ernie Reigel ’80
William Rikard ’67, Chair
Carole Weinstein
Ben Williams ’84
Janet Wilson

This update was sent as an e-mail to all Davidson students, faculty, staff, and alumni on April 27, 2012.

At the April 16 meeting, the Board of Trustees came to the following conclusions:

• The Board reaffirmed the Statement of Purpose and the continued voluntary relationship between the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Davidson College.
• The Board acknowledged that there are differing views among the Trustees with regard to the Presidential Bylaw and recognized that there does not exist sufficient support for any particular change to it.
• The Board will ensure that appropriate methods are in place to engage with the college community on an ongoing basis about the college’s faith heritage and relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA).

What is the Presidential Qualification Bylaw?

The Bylaws of the Trustees of Davidson College state, “The trustees shall elect a President of the College who shall serve as the chief executive officer of the college. They shall elect only a person who is a loyal and active church member, whose life provides evidence of strong Christian faith and commitment. Such faith and commitment will be appropriately expressed by affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and active participation in the life of Davidson College Presbyterian Church.”

How long has this trustee bylaw been in place?

Since the college’s founding in 1837, there has been an expectation and belief that the college could best fulfill its Statement of Purpose under the leadership of a president who was able to affiliate with the Presbyterian Church. This expectation was first put into the college constitution in 1839 and later moved to the trustee bylaws. The bylaw has been modified many times over the years. The current version of the bylaw was adopted by the board in 1996, and modified slightly, to be gender-neutral, six years later.

Who led the discussion?

In January 2012, the Board appointed a Committee on Church-Relatedness to lead the bylaw discussion. The committee’s broad charge was to review the history of the college’s relationship with the Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Tradition, and establish a foundation from which the board can discuss the meaning and significance of the college’s church-relatedness with the extended college community. If appropriate, the committee could make recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The committee also was authorized to appoint an advisory committee of faculty, students, alumni, clergy, and other groups to assist it in its work. The following trustees served on the committee:

Richard Boyce
Ed Kizer
Elizabeth Brooks Mailander
Mackey McDonald (Ex Officio)
Sara Tatum Pottenger
Ernie Reigel
William Rikard, Chair
Carole Weinstein
Ben Williams
Janet Wilson

What process did the TCCR follow?

The committee dedicated itself to a reasoned, thoughtful and open discussion, one that reflects Davidson’s commitment to the highest standards of inquiry and discourse. To that end, the committee’s process included:

• Educating themselves about Davidson’s heritage with the Presbyterian Church and the college’s grounding in the Reformed Tradition. This step included presentations by College Chaplain Rob Spach ’84 and Doug Ottati, the Craig Family Distinguished Professor of Reformed Theology and Justice; and reading books about the Reformed Tradition.
• Reviewing legal and historical materials related to the trustee bylaws and the Reformed Tradition.
• Better understanding the role of faith in the “Davidson Experience.”
• Identifying other colleges and universities that have contemplated a change in institutional bylaws and obtained information about them.
• Designing a community conversation that is respectful and candid, and that allows for every constituent to participate and hear others’ thoughts. This community conversation included in-campus meetings with various constituent groups, including students, faculty, staff as well as members of the Board of Visitors, Alumni Association Board and the Davidson Athletic Foundation. In addition, a questionnaire was sent by US Mail and email to alumni, parents and friends, and the Davidsonian conducted a survey of current students.
• Over the course of its work, the committee reviewed more than 1,100 responses from members of the Davidson College community.

Is this bylaw legal?

Yes.

Are there requirements about religious affiliation for Davidson faculty and staff?
No. Davidson welcomes faculty and staff from all faith traditions, as well as those who have no faith tradition. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability. Faculty and staff are dedicated to living in harmony with the purpose of the college as set forth in the college constitution.

Are there requirements for religious affiliation of students?
No. Davidson seeks to enroll the most talented students from all backgrounds.

Are there requirements about religious affiliation for members of the Board of Trustees?
Yes, and they were most recently modified in 2005. Historically, only active members of a Christian church could serve on Davidson’s board. In openness to what we can learn from other traditions and out of respect for the variety of religious affiliations among the Davidson community, the board now nominates and elects trustees who are not active members of a Christian church. As part of Davidson’s historic commitment to the Reformed Tradition the Board ensures that at least 80 percent of all elected trustees are active members of a Christian church. In addition, Davidson’s trustee bylaws require that 24 of Davidson’s 44 voting trustees be Presbyterians.

Currently, are any members of the board non-active Christians or non-Christians?

Yes.

Is Davidson College President Carol Quillen Presbyterian?

Yes.

How does the bylaw mesh with Davidson’s commitment to diversity?

Davidson is strongly committed to diversity and inclusiveness. This commitment is driven in no small part by our grounding in the Reformed Tradition, which upholds the dignity and worth of every person and therefore welcomes, values, and learns with and from members of the community who come from a different or no religious tradition. We enroll, admit, and employ the most talented students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds. This commitment is central to who we are.

The Board has appointed a committee that is leading us through the normal Davidson process for open and respectful dialogue in reviewing the bylaws. There are strong opinions on both sides of this issue, and the Board is committed to undertaking a thorough, thoughtful discussion that allows all members of the community to participate.