While we support the right of the Queer Student Union, along with two other student groups, to host the “Deconstructing Pinkwashing” Panel, we are concerned that the Williams Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) helped make the event possible.When an administrative office supports a program, it lends the college’s imprimatur to the program. It makes it appear that instead of providing a forum for a great variety of viewpoints, the college is taking sides.
As it appeared when, in 2021, the college’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program endorsed an anti-Israel statement. While President Maud Mandel has said she disagrees with the program’s decision, the College has to date not officially distanced itself from that endorsement.
While an official statement would be nice, we believe there is a better solution. Williams should build on President Mandel’s statement of October 12 announcing her intention, as college president, not to make statements on “national and world events”. We applauded her for that. What is right for the office of the president of Williams College is right for Williams College. Williams should make institutional neutrality an official policy not just for the president’s office, but for academic programs and administrative offices as well.
Williams College should adopt the Kalven Report.