Friends and colleagues-

This semester has been tumultuous.  To say there have been ups and downs would be a momentous understatement.

Yes- we’re not out of the woods yet.

But credit should be given where credit is due.  And today, that credit is deserved by our president William J. McKinney.

Our institution has been lambasted in the media and derided by those with an anti-intellectual and reactionary agenda.  In other words it has been attacked by the “usual suspects” following a controversial demonstration last Friday on our campus.

Through this trying hour Bill McKinney has stood by us- faculty, students, staff and the community.  He has stood by the most important tenets of academic life; most notably freedom of speech, freedom of opinion and an unimpeded academic environment.

While these emails have normally been committed to criticism, today they offer praise where it is most deserved.

Let us all hope that we can look to President McKinney in the waning months of his tenure at Valdosta State University for this outstanding leadership of our academic community.

Thank you,

The Successful McKinney No Confidence Campaign

mckinneynoconfidence@gmail.com