The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own.
To the College of William and Mary and President Dr. Katherine Rowe,
As students from a variety of racial, cultural and national backgrounds, with diverse sexual, political and social identities, we collectively recognize the erosion of democratic institutions and popular protections that have occurred in the United States over the last eight years. The Coalition for the Defense of Democracy (CDD), formed in light of these developments, formally calls upon the administration of the College of William and Mary to guarantee our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as laid out by our nation’s founding documents.
These inalienable norms are under direct threat with Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. Trump is the effective leader of an ultranationalist, white supremacist and fascist tide sweeping our country. His campaign for reelection was centered on plans to deport our immigrant communities en masse, further restrict our rights to bodily autonomy and medical care and deploy the military on American citizens arbitrarily deemed ‘enemies.’ His reelection has come in tandem with the Republican Party gaining control over both chambers of Congress and the Supreme Court case Trump v. United States (2024), together radically expanding Trump’s ability to exercise an unprecedented level of executive authority.
Over the past year, UN-appointed investigators have expressed concern over American universities’ repression of peaceful student assemblies and academic freedom. More recently, the University of Florida dissolved its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committees and closed its LGBTQIA+, intercultural and women’s centers. Trump’s presidency entails the continuation and escalation of these attacks on the rights and safety of communities across the United States.
As a conscious, historically-aware body of students, we understand that democracy has always been vulnerable and must be diligently defended against tides of authoritarianism. We stress the gravity of the situation out of compassion and concern for the lives and livelihoods of our friends, families and compatriots.
The CDD further recognizes the inextricable link between William and Mary as an institution and our nation’s democratic culture and values. We appreciate our university’s reaffirmation of its steadfast observance of the ideals on which our nation was founded through Vision 2026. As such, the CDD expects nothing less than a comprehensive guarantee from the College’s administration and Board of Visitors to do everything in their power to protect our community’s rights as we brace for Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025.
The Coalition for the Defense of Democracy expects the College to publicly acknowledge its intention to
- Uphold students’ civil rights to assemble and demonstrate peacefully.
- Uphold the right of faculty and staff to form unions and engage in collective bargaining.
- Ensure the strict abidance to habeas corpus by William and Mary and the City of Williamsburg police departments.
- Maintain utmost transparency and clarity on amendments to the Student Code of Conduct.
- Abstain from banning student organizations on campus without proper review and a chance to appeal.
- Abstain from dismissing faculty or attempting to alter curriculum for ideological purposes without a formal review process or chance to appeal.
- Continue providing easily accessible reproductive healthcare and contraception.
- Continue providing support for transgender students, including gender-inclusive housing, the Trans Locker and other resources for gender-affirming care.
- Continue admitting and supporting students regardless of immigration status, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and undocumented students.
- Continue safeguarding students from acts of racism, sexism, ableism, queerphobia, transphobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism (distinguished from anti-Zionism) and threats of violence against our community.
Signed,
- College Socialists
- Acropolis Art Journal
- African Cultural Society
- Amnesty International at W&M
- Asian American Student Initiative (AASI)
- Banat Al Sudan
- Bird Club
- Black Grad Student Association (BGSA)
- Black Poets Society
- Black Student Organization (BSO)
- BLOT
- Community Love Mutual Aid
- Contextualization for Campus Landmarks and Iconography (CCL&I)
- Dissenters
- Ethics Team
- W&M Fighting for Immigrant Rights and Equity (FIRE)
- Filipino American Student Association (FASA)
- The Gallery Literary Magazine
- Hindu, Sikh, and Jain Students Association (HSJA)
- Innocence Club
- Inside Out Theatre
- Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)
- Journal of Race, Gender, & Social Justice (RGSJ)
- Lambda Alliance
- Latin American Student Union (LASU)
- Law Students for Justice in Palestine (LSJP)
- LIPS
- Meridian Coffeehouse
- Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA)
- Minorities Against the Climate Crisis (MACC)
- Muslim Law Student Association (MLSA)
- Muslim Student Association (MSA)
- National Lawyers Guild
- Noetica: Journal of Global
- Premodern Studies
- oSTEM
- Philosophy Club at W&M
- POC Art Collective
- Queer Trans People of Color (QTPOC)
- Robotics Club
- Skate Club
- South Asian Interfaith Organization (SAIO)
- South Asian Law Student
- Association (SALSA)
- Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)
- Students of Caribbean Ancestry (SOCA)
- Tea Society
- Techno Society
- Trans Student Support Society (TS3)
- Underground Magazine
- United Campus Workers of Virginia at W&M, CWA Local 2265
- Vox
- WeMake Filmmakers
- Young Democrats
- 7th Grade Sketch Comedy
CORRECTION (12/3/2024): Article was updated by the Standards & Practices Editor to correct spelling errors and adjust format of the list of signers.