Trends in Higher Education

* The College of William & Mary announced Feb. 12, 2008 that its Board of Visitors had elected not to renew the contract of its president, Gene R. Nichol.

This came after Nichol’s administration took numerous actions that drew significant opposition from concerned alumni across the country. For instance, last year, Nichols’ administration suddenly launched a new “bias reporting system.” This system, advertised with a new website, allowed members of the campus community to report anonymously on “bias incidents,” which were defined in a way that raised serious free-speech issues. Alumni as well as prominent constitutional scholars objected and called on Nichol to abolish the system. Under pressure, Nichol significantly altered it, making the definition less objectionable and eliminating the capacity for anonymous complaints. (ACTA Update Feb. 13, 2008)

It was also under President Nichol’s watch that the school’s century-old cross was to be expelled from the chapel. A petition that collected 18,000 signatures led to a restoration. Wall Street Journal, Sat/Sun June 16-17, 2007)