Peace College protestors switch tactics

After almost two months of demonstrations, protesters at Peace College have shifted their focus to legal channels as administrators say they will push forward with plans to restructure the college.

A group of Peace College alumnae said they are consulting legal counsel in order to keep the school’s traditions intact.

Alumnae and students gathered in protest following a July announcement that administrators would institute several changes at the college — including altering the college’s name to William Peace University and admitting men to the traditionally female institution.

Protesters created a petition to remove Debra Townsley, who began serving as president of the college last August, due to the drastic changes instated under her administration they claim weren’t transparent.

“We’re trying to work and just basically share information that we know was not shared before people made a very important vote,” said Meredith McLean, treasurer of the fund and an alumna of Peace.

Daily protests outside the campus have stopped and alumunae have shifted their focus to a nonprofit fund for legal expenses.

McLean said group members are keeping their strategy under wraps, but they have no plan to sue.

“We are using the fund to pay legal expenses, but it’s not a legal defense fund.”

Todd Robinson, chairman of the Peace College Board of Trustees, wrote in an email that board members have no reservations about the protesters’ communication with attorneys.

“We do not believe that there is anything actionable that will come from this,” he said.

Protesters also expressed unhappiness with the perceived lack of transparency from the current administration.

“We feel like we have no reason to believe anything they say,” said E.B. Watson, an alumna of Peace and a protester.

“The message from the school is ‘Get over it, we aren’t changing,’’’ she said.

R. Donavon Munford, Jr., a board member, said changes to the college had unanimous approval.

“We are very comfortable with the decisions we made,” he said.

But McLean said administrators did not provide the board with all the information available before they decided on the changes.

Protesters said they sent each board member a detailed letter earlier this month with documents many of the members had not seen, including petitions and letters of disapproval from past presidents and professors. They have yet to receive a full response from the board, McLean said.

Contact the State & National Editor at state@dailytarheel.com.