Living Davidson

VOLUME 104, NUMBER 10 WWW.DAVIDSONIAN.COM WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2012 Students weigh in on Presbyterian affi liation, bylaws Survey results refl ect students’ cited by the College. A majority (53.6%) Which of the following should determine the of respondents said they knew “a moderate opinions on Presidential by- amount” about the affi liation, and 34.0% law, campus religious life requirements for the offi ce of President? said they knew “very little.” Few respond- ed that they knew “a great deal” (6.7%) or Eric Sawyer No answer Must be committed “nothing” (5.7%). Staff Writer 1.8% Christian affi liated When asked about their knowledge of with PC (USA) the Reformed Tradition, the most common During the 2010-2011 presidential 7.7% response was “very little” (37.2%), followed search process that ultimately brought Pres- by “a moderate amount” (35.2%), “nothing” ident Carol Quillen to Davidson College, (15.6%) and “a great deal” (11.7%). questions were raised about how the Presi- Must be committed Further, about a quarter of students sur- dential Requirements Bylaw would be ap- veyed, most of which were freshmen, were plied to the search. The bylaw requires that Christian, unaware of the Presidential or Trustee by- the President of Davidson College be an no specifi c laws prior to taking the survey. active Christian. The Trustees of Davidson denomination One student, who supports the affi liation College decided that, rather than examining 24.1% but not the bylaws, commented, “Continu- the bylaw during an ongoing search process, ing to remain affi liated with the PC(USA) they would form a committee to meet within might deter some future students from at- a year of the selection of the new President. tending, but that is who we are and we The Committee on Church Relatedness, Do not set Maintain religious should not be ashamed of it. Our affi liation chaired by William Rikard ’67, was tasked religious requirement, has no impact on [the] better known David- with examining the bylaw and the role of requirements son tradition of academic excellence.” faith in the general Davidson community. include non-Chris- Another student who favors both the af- The Davidsonian surveyed the student 59.5% tian traditions fi liation and the bylaws said, “…I see a di- body about their views on religious bylaws 6.9% rect connection between the values David- and Davidson’s church affi liation. A total of son gives to students and to the values of 494 responses were submitted, which repre- PC(USA),” and “I hope that if my children sents 25.3% of the student body. The results faith and commitment. Such faith and com- fi liation and be active in Davidson College decide to attend Davidson, that the college show little student support for the existing mitment will be appropriately expressed Presbyterian Church upon accepting the job. will still profess these same values which Presidential bylaw, as well as the related by affi liation with the Presbyterian Church Though not under consideration, the Trustee are so fl eeting in our society.” Trustee Bylaw, but majority support for (USA) and active participation in the life of Bylaw further requires that “at least 80% of Davidson’s religious demographics an affi liation with the Presbyterian Church Davidson College Presbyterian Church.” all elected Trustees are active members of a have changed dramatically as its formerly (USA). This bylaw is the only matter of gover- Christian church.” all-Presbyterian student body has gradu- The presidential bylaw states that the nance under consideration by the Trustees. Students who took the survey were ally incorporated other religious groups. Trustees “shall elect only a person who is The Trustees do not interpret this bylaw as asked to self-evaluate their knowledge of The largest religious group among the stu- a loyal and active church member, whose requiring that the President be a Presbyte- Davidson’s affi liation with the PC(USA) life provides evidence of strong Christian rian. Rather, they must work within the af- and the Reformed Tradition, the theology See POLL, page 3 Roundtable diversity discussion revisits last semester’s unrest Diversity advocates discuss Davidson hosted by President Quillen. For those same upperclassmen who progress, change in light of weathered the metaphorical storms of last last semester’s confl icts spring, there may be lingering questions from those discussions, chief among them: Sarah Welty Why have the conversations that so elec- Editor-in-Chief trifi ed the faculty and students last semester been happening less frequently—or at least Upperclassmen may well remember last less publically—this year? spring as a time of confl ict. Tense discus- The Davidsonian sat down with some of sions concerning diversity and representa- the students whose voices rang the loudest tion among faculty and students broke out in last spring’s protests to get to the bottom across campus, spreading like wildfi re from of this and other questions of campus diver- the common room to the classroom. sity. Student reaction to the apparent lack First: why, exactly, were the protesta- of faculty members of color resulted in a tions of last semester seemingly silenced Spring Convocation-day protest, a number this year? of strongly worded Davidsonian Perspec- “The group from last year was very active tives pieces, and, ultimately, a widely-at- Last spring, students held a protest calling for greater faculty diversity. After a heated tended forum on the subject of diversity at See DIVERSITY, page 4 spring semester, the issue seems to have cooled down this fall. Photo by Mark Sehnert Dr. Josh Putnam, Visiting As- The Davidsonian sat down for The men’s basketball team was sistant Professor of Political Sci- a private interview with David featured in ESPN’s College ence, accurately predicted the Brooks this past Monday dur- Hoops Marathon against the red and blue breakdown of all ing his time on campus. Part of University of New Mexico. The electoral votes, one of the few a two-issue series, the fi rst seg- game was televised at 2 am E.T., pundits to accomplish this feat. ment features advice to college though the Lobos came out on students. top with a fi nal score of 86-81. See NEWS, page 2 See LIVING DAVIDSON, page 5 See SPORTS, page 10 NEWS PAGE 2 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2012 David Brooks delivers lecture assessing state of political system The columnist spoke on the Shields, who visited campus earlier this fall, Brooks. what’s about to happen in politics at no fault Romney’s various homes and garages and “I don’t want to sound like I’m being to politicians.” crisis of “self-effacement” and anecdotes about the “intense social skills” negative on where the country is,” Brooks Falling off the fi scal cliff, said Brooks, is its political repercussions of politicians to whom he has played wit- said, citing drops in crime, suicide, and a real and looming prospect, though perhaps ness over his years as a journalist. teenage pregnancy rates in this generation. what is needed to reinstate the diminished Laura Chuckray From his many personal interactions “But I do think there’s been a loss of public virtue of ethos in our culture. Brooks pro- News Editor with the politicians who grace our headlines, virtue that makes it harder to practice poli- poses as a solution the greater inclusion of Brooks offered valuable insight on these tics because of the culture of the country.” not conservative or liberal polarization, but A former University of Chicago class- governmental power-wielders as people. Brooks turned to President Eisenhower a third, middle ground ideology stemming mate of President Carol Quillen, though “The odd thing about Obama is that he and George Marshall as examples of ethos from Alexander Hamilton: “using govern- more prominently known as a New York doesn’t need the love from the crowd; they and an awareness of a weakness within one- ment in limited but energetic ways to en- Times columnist and commentator on PBS’ need him more than he needs them,” said self. In a culture that now promotes “mar- hance social mobility.” NewsHour, David Brooks graced David- Brooks. “And I say this as a compliment; I keting yourself,” this sense of ethos has “The country is basically recoverable,” son’s campus on Monday. Brooks visited think he has a writer’s personality, sort of an been lost. said Brooks. “Because the energy and the several classes and delivered a lecture in aloof, personal distance.” Brooks called this, “A shift from a cul- self-correcting passion of America seems to Duke Family Performance Hall titled “What President Obama’s change since 2009 ture of self-effacement… to a culture of me has been undimmed since Alexis de Toc- It Means: The 2012 Election and the Future and the early “Messiah Days,” as Brooks self-expansion.” queville came here in the 1830s.” of America.” termed them, has been palpable. The political repercussions of this shift The lecture was concluded with ques- Following an introduction by President As time passed, “the tone of aggrieve- include increase in personal and public debt, tions from the audience, which led Brooks Quillen, Brooks took the stage to a rousing ment rose, as he was stuck in this rotten sys- riskier behavior, polarization, tribalism and to discuss this past election cycle. “This applause from the audience, whose median tem. You began to see the competitive juices distrust, particularly of the government. was the worst campaign I’ve ever covered,” age was approximately 60 to 70 years. (In- fl ow, the negativity rise, and a sense of insu- Also facing the nation is the problem of he said, citing that he began covering cam- deed, either because it was diffi cult to pro- larity as the circle of trust shrank,” Brooks “moral inarticulateness,” evidenced in the paigns in 1984.

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