PEC Update, November 1, 2006

• Calling Phi Beta Kappa to have R-MWC’s charter pulled
• Calling the health department to report problems with the dining hall
• Asking Randolph-Macon College to sue R-MWC over the name
• Interfering with high school college recruitment fairs and stealing R-MWC brochures
• Delaying the implementation groups for the strategic plan because alumnae refuse to join implementation committees
• Asking alumnae to withdraw their pledges, request the return of gifts, and not to give to the new college

These accusations are preposterous and can only be based on speculation since they cannot be factually supported. PEC is concerned with preserving R-MWC as a woman's college and doing whatever we can to help the trustees reevaluate the strategic plan. We have grave concerns that the strategic plan - coeducation and "global honors" - will actually "kill the college" and very quickly at that as the college takes on additional financial liabilities in an effort to attract men (and more women). In fact, it is possible that some in their zeal to defend the Board's decision to go coed find it necessary to attempt to discredit PEC, rather than confront the arguments PEC is advancing to demonstrate the fallacies upon which the Board decision was based. 

As concerned alumnae we are all adult women who share the benefit of a superior
R-MWC education. It is up to each of us to decide how we respond to the strategic plan and whether or not we "get on board." Individual alumnae make decisions about how to spend their volunteer hours and allocate their charitable donations - not PEC. So PEC cannot comment on the decisions reached by alumnae regarding serving on implementation committees or charitable donations to the "New College."

The other allegations - calling Phi Beta Kappa, calling the health department, calling Randolph-Macon College, and interfering at college fairs - are accusations that PEC takes seriously. PEC has not participated in any of these alleged activities, has not encouraged these activities, nor does it condone them in any way. 

What has PEC done? We coordinate and fund lawsuits to protect R-MWC, but these are just one part of our activities that are undertaken to save R-MWC, not hurt the "New College." What PEC supporters don’t see is the "quiet" work that goes on behind the scenes as PEC tries to get everyone to simply re-evaluate the coeducation and "global honors" decision based on facts, not emotion.

PEC's projects – putting together research for R-MWC's Board of Trustees to consider, organizing support groups for R-MWC's constituencies, creating a new business plan for the college and assembling the resources to implement it - have all been undertaken in good faith to preserve R-MWC and keep it healthy - not "kill it."

With preserving R-MWC as PEC's mission it should be clear to all that actions like calling Phi Beta Kappa, the health department, or Randolph-Macon College do not reflect the actions or goals of PEC. Nor would PEC attend college fairs or steal R-MWC literature. Given that PEC does not engage in these behaviors it should come as no surprise that we do not condone them on the part of others.

While we are not responsible for policing the activities of R-MWC alumnae or friends of the college, we do want to underscore how seriously we wish to protect R-MWC and how strongly we believe that this battle will be won based on facts, truth, and open information. It is in this spirit of open information that we are providing PEC supporters with the facts and truth about PEC activities in response to these preposterous allegations. It is our hope and expectation that when all the facts are known, R-MWC will return to its all woman's college tradition and we are committed to strengthening
R-MWC as we seek to restore its historical mission.

PEC Board

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