Davidson faculty, alumni oppose trustees over college’s religious ties

By Lincoln Davidson

Davidson College faculty on Thursday expressed disappointment over the Board of Trustees’ recent decision to reaffirm a requirement that the college’s president be affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. In a resolution adopted overwhelmingly at a faculty meeting, professors also said they oppose a college requirement that 80 percent of board members be “active Christians.”

Meanwhile, faculty were told before Thursday’s vote that the college’s Alumni Board also had issued a statement of disappointment with the trustees’ April 17 announcement. Professor Scott Tonidandel, the Alumni Board’s Faculty Representative, read a statement that was posted later on a college web page:

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.

After Tonidandel spoke, religion professor Douglas Ottati, a prominent theologian and the college’s Craig Family Distinguished Professor of Reformed Theology and Justice, made a motion to have the faculty adopt a resolution supporting a change to the Presidential Bylaw. Ottati’s role was significant: In addition to being a leading reform theologian, he is an elder in the Presbyterian Church USA.

The text of the resolution, obtained from multiple sources and later posted on the college website, reads :

“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.”

Faculty approved the resolution 87 to 10, with three abstaining.