The Seahawk

Issue date: 3/26/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Autumn Beam | THE SEAHAWK The 1,069 attendees of The Century Project exhibit at UNCW were able to express their views on the idea of censorship and their concerns regarding the university.

UNCW Faculty Senate passed Motion 09-07-20 March 17, 2009, regarding The Century Project that read, "In the spirit of intellectual and educational freedom, the Faculty Senate admonishes the UNCW administration for not consulting with the Women's Resource Center, Faculty Senate Steering Committee and other interested parties before asking photographer Frank Cordelle to remove pictures of minors from his exhibit at UNCW."

The meeting was open to discussion by faculty and staff members who had strong opinions about the issue, sparking debate at the end of the forum.

President of the Faculty Senate Bruce McKinney said, "Freedom of speech is something that goes to my heart but anytime you're told you can't speak out on a topic, then there's a problem."

Janet Ellerby, Interim Director of the Women's Resource Center, read several points from a timeline of events surrounding The Century Project. She first exchanged e-mails with photographer Frank Cordelle Sept. 30, 2008, and the contract was signed within the next few months for his project to appear at UNCW.

Professor John Foubert of Oklahoma State University issued his letter to UNCW administration Feb. 16, 2009, imploring them to reconsider showing the exhibit. The Women's Resource Center Advisory Board meeting took place two days later, but according to Ellerby, the letter was not mentioned by Jose Hernandez, Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, when The Century Project was discussed.

UNCW administration decided to ban the display of the photos of minors in the project shortly after. Ellerby claims she was issued an ultimatum, but encouraged Cordelle to show his exhibit regardless.

When asked who was consulted in the decision, Provost Brian Chapman stated the parties included him, Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo, Chief of Staff Max Allen, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Pat Leonard, General Counsel Eileen Goldgeier and Assistant to the Chancellor for Marking and Communications Cindy Lawson.

According to Chapman, the concept of banning the photos in question began before the letter from Foubert was received. He explained that the issue was not one of pornography, but of "informed consent" of minors.

"We have to look at the impact of the university in the community and state," Chapman said. "I received a number of e-mails in support of our decision."

Dr. Kathleen Berkley, Associate Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, replied to Chapman, "If this was such a concern for you, other members of UNCW should have been consulted."

"There was no consultation with the Women's Resource Center or experts in the art department and what constitutes as art or historians who work on this issue," said Dr. Vibeke Olson, Assistant Professor of the Art & Art History Department.

Pamela Evers, Associate Professor of Accountancy and Business Law, added, "We cannot run a university if intellectual content on campus is decided by two or three people in Alderman Hall."

Other opinions about the subject circulated and generated much discussion.

"The new issue for faculty is academic freedom," Ellerby said. "This all feels like a top down control of what we as faculty can and cannot say."

"The faculty has every right to express their views and I respect the decision of the Faculty Senate," Allen said. "We disagree on what happened, but we have wonderful faculty and respect their viewpoints greatly."

"What I hope is that the administration will consult with faculty in the future. What I believe will happen is absolutely nothing."

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