Wendler | Screenshot via WTAMU
As a staunch defender of free speech, it is clear to me that there are deep problems with a resolution being voted on by faculty at West Texas A&M University.
The resolution, which we covered in this article, covers a wide variety of issues with Wendler’s leadership. With the resolution following a high-profile lawsuit against Wendler for violating free speech rights, it is understandable that much of the coverage of the resolution has focused on that portion of the resolution. However, the resolution goes beyond simply criticizing Wendler’s position on free speech.
In fact, the first several clauses of the resolution don’t even relate to the ongoing lawsuit. Instead, they seem to accuse him of sabotaging enrollment at the university, criticizing him for encouraging high school students to make smart financial decisions when deciding where to go to college. Specifically, the resolution cites remarks where Wendler has encouraged prospective students to start out at a community college before transferring to WT.
Apparently, the author(s) of the resolution feel that it would be better if Wendler lied to students in the name of pumping up enrollment numbers, regardless of whether or not doing so would financially harm prospective students. The truth is, our area has several great community colleges, including Amarillo College and Clarendon College. For many students, doing their first two years at a community college before starting at WT is a wise financial decision. It’s the decision I made. It’s a relationship that has been beneficial for both WT and local community colleges.
To me, though, it’s especially worrying that the resolution, which purports to admonish Wendler for violating free speech, seems to be seeking to also gag his free speech rights. The goal of a university shouldn’t be enrollment over everything else. The role of a university, especially a public university, should be to celebrate ideas, not silence them.