Arizona State University (ASU) is allegedly dismantling its personal development center over hosting conservative speakers back in February.
The T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development’s executive director, Ann Atkinson, wrote in a June 19 op-ed for The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) about the university allegedly planning to “dismantle the Lewis Center” and terminating her position, effective June 30.
She claimed the center is being eliminated due to her inviting conservative speakers Charlie Kirk and Dennis Prager to a “nonpartisan program” in February focusing on “Health, Wealth, and Happiness.” The event was “part of a popular speaker series focused on connecting students with professionals who can offer career and life advice.” (RELATED: Professor Alleges Colleague Terminated For Sharing Conservative Beliefs, Sues California College)
Deeply disturbed by the scare tactics and threats used to dismantle a professional development center at Arizona State housed in @BarrettHonors.
Extremely disappointed in this decision, especially by an honors college allegedly committed to free speech. https://t.co/idCvg2S70K
— Clay Robinson (@claynrobinson) June 20, 2023
“Arizona State University remains committed to, in practice, not just rhetoric, all things that support free speech and all of its components. The event in question was held and was a success,” an ASU spokesperson said in a statement to the Daily Caller. “Ms. Atkinson’s current job at the university will no longer exist after June 30 because the donor who created and funded the Lewis Center decided to terminate his donation. ASU is working to determine how we can support the most impactful elements of the center without that external funding.”
Atkinson said she previously thought ASU, her alma mater and employer, “was different from other schools when it came to free speech.” ASU has a “green light rating” for policies showing the university protects free speech, according to free speech organization, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).
However, the personal development center faced problems when it hosted Kirk and Prager for the February event, according to Atkinson. Faculty members in the university’s Barrett Honors College, which the Lewis Center operates under, were allegedly “outraged” over the conservative speakers.
“Thirty-nine of its 47 faculty signed a letter to the dean condemning the event on grounds that the speakers are ‘purveyors of hate who have publicly attacked women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, [and] institutions of our democracy,'” Atkinson wrote.
The signers allegedly described the conservative speakers as “white nationalist provocateurs.”
You can view the full letter below: pic.twitter.com/R96kIYaDew
— PragerU (@prageru) February 3, 2023
“Barrett Honors College leadership told me this is purely a business decision, despite my raising more than $500,000 in the last year through the center,” Atkinson wrote about her termination as the Lewis Center’s executive director.
ASU student Luke Mosiman shared an email on Twitter that was apparently sent from Atkinson, discussing the future of the Lewis Center and her job.
🚨BREAKING🚨 ASU disbands Lewis Center after an event with @DennisPrager and @charliekirk11 pic.twitter.com/4gRZs367si
— Luke Mosiman (@Luke_Mosiman) June 20, 2023
“Ms. Atkinson whose job is linked to the funding for the Center, like all such employees is then eligible for other jobs at ASU,” the spokesperson continued. “This is the normal process and she has been treated like everyone else. As a public university, ASU is committed to free, robust and uninhibited sharing of ideas among all members of the university’s community. The university values and adheres to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which provides freedom of speech. These values apply to the students and other members of our community who helped to organize the Lewis Center speaker program and to the faculty who expressed strong opinions about the event.”
The Caller reached out to Atkinson for comment but she did not respond by the time of publication.
This story has been updated with a statement from ASU regarding Atkinson’s allegations.
