Walla Walla College's faculty, staff, and students seem undaunted despite recent setbacks due to lack of presidential leadership. Much turmoil has erupted over the choosing of a new president after W.G. Nelson resigned last academic school year (2000-01). The story below appeared in the Oct. 4 student newspaper, The Collegian, reported by news writer Chelsey Ham.

Sorensen named interim president

North Pacific Union Conference President Jere Patzer appointed Clifford Sorensen as interim president Sept. 27. Sorensen replaces academic vice president John Brunt as acting interim president. Sorensen has been on campus at WWC permanently beginning Oct. 15.

Brunt had been serving as interim president since a replacement for former WWC president W.G. Nelson has not been found. According to WWC's constitution, when the college is without a president, the academic vice president fills in until a permanent president is found. Sorensen served WWC as president from 1976 to 1985 and as academic vice president in 1975-76.

Brunt is positive about Sorensen's arrival, as they worked together during Sorensen's previous years at WWC. "Cliff is a good friend. I have tremendous admiration for him," said Brunt, who is in his thirty-first year at WWC.

The change in interim president'the second interim president and the third acting president (including W.G. Nelson) in three months?came after the WWC Board of Trustees voted to authorize NPUC president Jere Patzer to find a replacement in their Sept. 10 meeting in Portland. Patzer was unavailable for comment. NPUC secretary Bryce Pascoe, however, was available and said of Sorensen's arrival, "We are pleased he's able to come give strength and leadership."

The change was prompted when concern arose in mid-August about testimony Brunt and Nelson had given in a court case two and a half years ago. A questionable document was produced and brought to the board meeting, which was a judge's summary produced from the Washington State Superior Court case Gallwey v. Grimm.

In 1999 the treasurer of Washington State was sued for allowing federal money to be given to students attending Christian institutions. WWC was named along with eight other Christian colleges and universities as being a beneficiary to this money. In the case, Mary Gallwey?with American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) support'sued the State of Washington for granting of Educational Opportunity Grants (EOGs). EOGs are granted to students who have completed a community college education and wish to go on to higher education but are "place-bound" for health or handicap reasons and cannot go away to a state college. The ACLU objects to this practice at colleges with religious affiliations like WWC on the grounds of separation of church and state, contending that the students may be subjected to "coercive indoctrination" into the "tenets" of a denomination's belief.

Nelson and Brunt were called by the Washington State lawyers to testify in April of 1999 in defense of WWC's academic integrity, and that students are not subjected to "coercive indoctrination" at WWC. The judge, Daniel Berschauer, ruled for the ACLU?or Gallwey?finding that the granting of EOGs was indeed a violation of church and state separation. In his two-page summary of the nine colleges? positions, he found that "[all the colleges] are all fully accredited private institutions of higher education?" He also recommended that the case be appealed to the Washington State Supreme Court, where the case is currently awaiting a decision.

The two-page summary was the only document produced at the Sept. 10 board meeting, even though there are in excess of 42 pages available in the public court file. In one paragraph the judge wrote: "There are no religion-based limitations or restrictions on what faculty members may teach at any of these colleges or universities." Later, the judge also noted: "None of the instruction offered in any religion courses required at any of the colleges or universities is devotional in nature or designed to induce faith and belief in the student?" The summary was of concern as some thought that Nelson and Brunt were not fully supporting WWC and its mission in their statements at the trial.

Brunt himself acknowledged the difference between their testimony and what came out in the judge's opinion. "The two-page [judge's] statement was disturbing," he said. Brunt, before signing his affidavit that was drafted by one of the lawyers from Washington State, crossed out a statement that said, "There is no limitation or restriction on what faculty at Walla Walla College can teach," which was nearly identical to the statement that came out in the judge's summary (see above).

Pascoe also noted that concerns about Brunt's workload were raised at presidential search committee meetings prior to the Sept. 10 board meeting, and these may have played a part in replacing Brunt as acting interim president. Search committee member Austin Archer confirmed that the search committee did indeed bring up discussion about Brunt's workload, but no consensus was reached and no action was taken.

Brunt was notified Sept. 9 at 9 p.m. that the issue would arise at the next morning's meeting. Although certain members of the college board and its executive committee had known about this issue since mid-August, they waited while the conference attorney, David Duncan, found more information regarding the case before talking to Brunt. "We wanted to know the nature of what we were looking into," Pascoe said.

Any decisions regarding Brunt's status as vice president for academic administration have been postponed until further evidence can be reviewed at the October board meeting.

Even through Sorensen has been named interim president; questions still remain regarding the actions taken by NPUC administration regarding Brunt's faculty status. There are said to be alumni groups rallying to support Brunt and the rest of the WWC faculty, though no official source could confirm this. Some alumni and constituents of WWC agree that the college has been harassed by NPUC leadership without merit.

"Walla Walla College is and has always been a huge inspiration in the lives of many of us who graduated from here," said one 1994 alumnus. "I think WWC is being unnecessarily targeted by certain individuals who don't want to see it succeed."

It remains to be seen who will brave the conditions and agree to become WWC president permanently.

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