Chancellor Wrighton just sent out an e-mail to everyone at Washington University to confirm that the university will confer an honorary doctorate to Phyllis Schlafly at the commencement ceremony on Friday. The only “concession” he made was to state that trustee Margaret Bush Wilson will read Schlafly’s citation. As “the first woman of color to serve as the national chair of the NAACP” and “the second woman of color admitted to practice law in Missouri,” her inclusion will supposedly show the university’s commitment to diversity and tolerance.

But the chancellor is missing the point. The issue isn’t just the inflammatory statements that Phyllis Schlafly has made, it’s the fact that she’s an anti-intellectual, someone who has made a career out of opposing the very reasoned discourse that should be the foundation of a respected university. Allowing an advocate of tolerance and diversity legitimizes not only the extreme views of Phyllis Schlafly but also her approach to inquiry.

Wrighton also stated that the university would make unspecified changes to the honorary degree selection process. Here’s hoping they will block out future nominees who approach the offensiveness of Phyllis Schlafly.

The full text of the letter is below the fold.

Dear Members of the Washington University Community,

I write to address the controversy surrounding the decision to award

Phyllis Schlafly an honorary degree at Commencement this Friday, May 16,

2008. I am sorry that this controversy may detract from Commencement.

However, the Trustees, the University administration and I fully support

the rights of our students and others within this community to express

their concerns on this issue.

Our long-standing process for awarding the honorary degree was followed:

Mrs. Schlafly was nominated by a member of the community and was reviewed

by the Board’s Honorary Degree Committee.  The Committee included faculty,

students, trustees and administrators. After two meetings, Mrs. Schlafly

and other nominees were recommended unanimously for consideration at the

full Board meeting.  The full Board voted to award the honorary degree at

the May 2007 meeting.

Following the public announcement of the honorary degrees, many in the

University community have called for the University to rescind that offer,

stating that Mrs. Schlafly is associated with some views, opinions and

statements that are inconsistent with the tolerant and inclusive values of

the Washington University community. Personally, I do not endorse her

views or opinions, and in many instances, I strongly disagree with them.

However, after further consultation with members of the University’s Board

of Trustees, the University has concluded that it will fulfill its

commitment to award the degree to Mrs. Schlafly.  I apologize for the

anguish this decision has caused to many members of our community.

In bestowing this degree, the University is not endorsing Mrs. Schlafly’s

views or opinions; rather, it is recognizing an alumna of the University

whose life and work have had a broad impact on American life and have

sparked widespread debate and controversies that in many cases have helped

people better formulate and articulate their own views about the values

they hold.

At Commencement, Trustee Emerita Margaret Bush Wilson has volunteered to

read the citation to award the degree to Mrs. Schlafly. As the first woman

of color to serve as the national chair of the NAACP, the second woman of

color admitted to practice law in Missouri, and as a prominent St. Louis

civil rights attorney for more than 40 years, she provides a strong voice

for the importance of tolerance and discourse as hallmarks of the

Washington University community.

In the midst of this controversy, I want to affirm my personal and the

University’s institutional commitment to strengthening diversity and

inclusiveness and to improving gender balance. Additionally, I have made a

commitment that the University will review the process for awarding

honorary degrees and will propose appropriate changes.

Washington University is home to students and faculty from all walks of

life, from most systems of religious belief and political thought, and

from all corners of the world. Yet we do not require these widely diverse

individuals to agree with one another. We are stronger because

disagreement allows us the opportunity to speak as individuals and as

advocates for sometimes widely divergent agendas. Collegial dialogue and

discourse inform us as to our feelings and help guide an institution that

nurtures debate and tolerance.  A university is strengthened by exchanges

that may be strongly worded, and that may have been born from the passions

and rhetoric of disagreement.

Washington University – or any other university – is neither perfect nor

are all its processes for making decisions.  We can always do better.  In

the aftermath of Commencement, I am deeply committed to whatever work

needs to be done to rebuild damaged relationships with members of our

community — faculty, students, alumni, parents, trustees and staff.  I

thank you for all that you do to make this a community so open, tolerant

and inclusive, and I ask for your assistance as we work together to build

the very best environment for all who live, learn, discover and create

here.

Sincerely,

Mark S. Wrighton

Chancellor