Watching Adams Commentary – 10/26/15

In an October 20th email to the campus, Adams State University (ASU) President Beverlee McClure says that drafting a Persona Non Grata policy is intended to protect the safety of our campus. She writes, “there have also been questions about the persona non grata issue. Persona non grata status is designed to protect the safety of our campus. We would never issue this as retaliation.”

Really? Safety of our campus from what? How does a piece of paper protect the campus? An invisible paper barrier against what? What does this mean?

Despite mentioning that “we would never issue this as retaliation,” it is a remarkable coincidence that the policy was apparently lifted from Fort Lewis College just hours prior to the banning notice served to Watching Adams publisher Danny Ledonne by the campus police chief, which cited him for behavior “alleged behavior deemed to be disruptive to the university.”  The notice also says that he had “been previously warned that such behavior” (not specified) “will not be tolerated.”

What behavior? What warnings? Danny Ledonne is not aware of any documentation that warned him of any behavior that might lead to his being banished from ASU. See McClure Bans Ledonne from Campus, Ledonne Responds for full coverage on this story.

It would appear that Dr. McClure is taking action first and explaining her rationale for it later – if ever.