I received an email the other day from a Professor Emerita
who had an experience that seriously concerned me and the others I shared it with
regarding its implications for academic freedom and diversity under a John
Thrasher presidency. I think this story needs to be told. I've received
permission to share it, and I've pasted it below.
“I am emailing this note as a professor emerita at Florida
State University where I was honored to teach in the College of Social Work for
a number of years and for part of that time directed the Institute for Family
Violence Studies conducing statewide needs assessments on domestic and sexual
violence for the State of Florida as well as other nationally-recognized work.
I was one of the early founders of Refuge House in
Tallahassee, our local domestic violence center, and remained active in
community-based organizations during my time in Tallahassee and now during my
retirement in Thomasville, Georgia. As a
reflection of Thrasher's character I wanted to add comment to you about an
incident involving both him and President Wetherall in 2003.
In 2003 I worked hard to get the actress Jane Fonda to bring
to the Tallahassee community a production of the much-acclaimed production of
Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues".
It was to be a joint fund-raiser for Refuge House and for the
Thomasville Community Resource Center.
Early in the winter I reserved Ruby Diamond for the production, secured
parking lots and worked with both campus and community groups to ensure a
successful event.
The Wednesday before the event I was summoned along with my
then Dean, Bruce Thyer, to President Weatherall's office. Seated in the meeting were Lee Hinkle
(Weatherall's chief of staff), the head of FSU Security, John Carnaghi and
other FSU officials. For two hours I was
berated for inviting Jane Fonda to campus, for reserving parking spaces for
those who were attending the performance, questioned about "what
kind" of people would want to see "that" performance, etc. I was requested to cancel the performance, to
postpone it, to delay it, etc. All of
which I declined since it had been sold-out and I had followed all university
protocols in reserving the space and parking, etc. Although TK could never get
"vagina" out of his mouth in referring to the production
"f---k" easily slid off his tongue.
He was furious, demeaning, insulting, etc. After close to two hours he stood up and left
without saying anything about the meeting ending.
I waited a bit and then got up, walked into the hall and
asked Lee Hinkle what was going on. She
replied that he was just having one of his "hissy" fits and that
Thrasher, then a trustee, was furious that this performance was going to be
held on campus and had instructed Weatherell to cancel it. This was later confirmed by others.
The performance did go on, was sold out and raised over a
$100,000 for both of the two agencies benefitting. But the harm it caused me to have both a
university president and his trustee question this performance, question
free-speech, to insult the audience, the organizers, the intent of the play,
etc. was too much. For many years I made
the decision to no longer donate to FSU since its board and president clearly
did not support academic freedom. The
message was understood by Fred Salency, then in the FSU Development Office, and
he and another Dean "helped" Weatherall write a letter of apology to
me personally. Damage was done though.
I have reflected on this experience quite a bit during this "search"
process. I spoke to Al Lawson about it
and he said he knew Thrasher had difficulties with diversity issues but was
hoping he would be able to recognize what he believed privately would not
interfere with his role as a university president.
I don't have that same assurance.
I would respectfully ask that this email be forwarded by UFF
to those on the Search Committee who might inquire about Thrasher's views on
academic freedom, tolerance of diversity and respect for differing views during
his interview process. Perhaps he has
grown in the intervening ten years but I really doubt it considering his more
recent public comments and actions.
Sincerely,
Sharon Maxwell Ferguson, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita”
I hope the PSAC will ask the questions that Sharon asks.
