5 Big Questions for Woody White, Trustee at UNC Wilmington
White took action after a professor posted 'blow up Republicans' on Facebook.
He says trustees should 'do your duty, speak out, advocate, and don't fear consequence.'
Woody White, a trustee at University North Carolina Wilmington, says a Campus Reform report spurred him to action after a professor at the school posted a threat on Facebook.
White, an attorney and small business owner, asked the school’s chancellor to investigate the professor, who had posted “blow up Republicans” on social media.
The professor has since apologized.
[RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: UNC Wilmington prof posts ‘Blow Up Republicans’ on Facebook]
The state’s flagship campus, UNC Chapel Hill, also made headlines this year by deciding not to grant tenure to Nikole Hannah-Jones, author of the “1619 Project.” The school’s trustees later met to reverse their decision, but Hannah-Jones declined to teach there anyway, taking a position at Howard University instead.
White says the uproar over Hannah-Jones being denied tenure shows “the power of bullies in the woke movement.”
Free speech is also a guiding principle for White, who believes college campuses should foster healthy debate.
”Every campus, in my view, should have a true progressive liberal professor or representation, and a true conservative voice representation. That’s the essence of liberal arts education.”
[RELATED: WATCH: 5 Big Questions for Rep. Greg Murphy]
He also advised other trustees around the country to stand firm in their beliefs, saying, “If you take the oath of office and you agree to sit in that chair, then do your duty, speak out, advocate, and don’t fear consequence.”
Campus Reform is continuing to report on instances of trustees flexing their power to influence decisions at major universities.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @AngelaLMorabito
