Davidson College staff apologized after moving locations for a lecture from a former Hillsdale College history professor on Monday, calling his speech not “academic related” and gaining national attention.
Davidson’s chapter of the Young Americans for Freedom invited Burt Folsom, now a distinguished fellow of Hillsdale, to speak about the history of entrepreneurship in America. Chapter president, senior Andrew Becker, received an email that stated the event was being moved to a less prominent place on campus because a three-person staff approval committee had determined it was not suited for the purpose of the requested location.
“The McKay Atrium is reserved for more academic related events that are campus wide and attract a broad audience,” the email, which the national Young America’s Foundation posted on Twitter, said.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-conversation=”none” data-lang=”en”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Here's <a href=”https://twitter.com/DavidsonCollege?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@DavidsonCollege</a>'s email where they "denied" <a href=”https://twitter.com/YAF_Davidson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@YAF_Davidson</a>'s request to host Dr. <a href=”https://twitter.com/BurtFolsom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@BurtFolsom</a> in the McCay atrium for a claimed lack of academic substance. Yes he spoke, but only after being denied in a sloppy attempt to suppress conservative ideas. <a href=”https://t.co/OnQFr3KAkk”>pic.twitter.com/OnQFr3KAkk</a></p>— YAF (@yaf) <a href=”https://twitter.com/yaf/status/988848062218100737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>April 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Mark Johnson, Davidson communications and college marketing officer, told The Collegian that there was a “communication break down internally within the college,” causing the response. He said Davidson has welcomed YAF speakers in the past and that there was never a time when Davidson would not hold the event.
“It was absolutely an academic event,” Johnson said. “Dr. Folsom is a distinguished professor. This is a campus committed to free inquiry that welcomes speakers of all perspective, beliefs, and backgrounds.”
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-conversation=”none” data-lang=”en”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>No one at Davidson denied Dr. <a href=”https://twitter.com/BurtFolsom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@BurtFolsom</a> the opportunity to speak at any time. He spoke last night. Davidson College is founded on a community of trust and free inquiry. We welcome speakers of all viewpoints and expect our students to do the same. <a href=”https://twitter.com/YAF_Davidson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@YAF_Davidson</a> <br>Full statement: <a href=”https://t.co/41ZQP6uSdT”>pic.twitter.com/41ZQP6uSdT</a></p>— Davidson College (@DavidsonCollege) <a href=”https://twitter.com/DavidsonCollege/status/988785390944387072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>April 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Folsom received his doctorate in American history from the University of Pittsburgh and has taught for 40 years at various institutions, including Murray State University, the University of Nebraska, Northwood University, and the University of Pittsburgh. He also has published 10 books on various historical subjects with the Johns Hopkins University Press, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster. His “New Deal or Raw Deal?: How FDR’s Economic Legacy Has Damaged America” was a No. 1 bestseller history book.
The email sent on April 18 instructed Becker that the event would be held in a location that the college’s tech services team does not support for audio and visual. Becker then on Friday requested a room in a classroom building, and he received an apology from the committee that denied his original request on Monday.
Becker said he feels the incident was blown out of proportion after the national YAF began publicizing Davidson’s denial.
“The whole situation is largely the product of a bunch of misunderstandings and miscommunications,” Becker told The Collegian. “My biggest regret is that we had a low turnout, because we started promoting our event so late. The speaker did a fantastic job expounding upon the historical successes of free market entrepreneurship, and his animated and engaging style was a clear success with the audience. He did not disappoint.”
Folsom said despite the low turnout, he was happy to speak with the students and answer questions they had about early capitalist and entrepreneurial titans, including John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and Cornelius Vanderbilt as well as the Wright brothers.
“We don’t know what was in their hearts,” Folsom told The Collegian. “It’s possible this was an innocent error. They certainly made it difficult.”
The situation, on which Fox News reported on Monday night, follows a long string of instances across the country in which colleges or protesters have prevented guest lecturers, typically those who are right of center, from speaking on campus.
“I think what we’re seeing it absolutely tragic,” Folsom told The Collegian. “When I began my teaching career 40 years ago, if you were a conservative, you were outnumbered, but you were given a place at the table. It’s all about emotion now. Students have a right to be validated in their views.”
Folsom now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Anita, and near his son. He is pursuing research projects and speaking on many college campuses across the country. On May 7, Folsom will speak at a luncheon sponsored by Hillsdale College in Madison, Wisconsin.