Inviting External Speakers

Background

As a liberal arts college, Westmont attempts to provide an education that is broad, synoptic and integrative. An effective means by which this occurs is through healthy and robust dialogue: the bringing together of diverse ideas and people, both to understand the range of possibilities, and to counter the natural tendency towards parochialism or limited perspective.

As a Christian college, Westmont attempts to provide an education that helps students understand the rich applicability and varied implications of the historic Christian faith to all of life. An effective means by which this occurs is through an appreciative and critical exploration of our Protestant evangelical heritage: seeking to discover what it means to be true to our own biblical heritage in new and challenging circumstances, to examine diverse perspectives, to incorporate new insights and dislodge old errors while remaining true to the central verities that shape and give direction to our Christian faith.

Therefore, we encourage our community to engage and grapple with diverse ideas in order to more fully appreciate and pursue what is true and good and beautiful. Our goal is to engage in stimulating community dialogue about a diverse range of issues and concerns in a manner that enhances the intellectual, social, and spiritual development of our students.

For these reasons, the College has a practice of inviting speakers to campus or sponsoring events that help us better understand and assess our evangelical heritage, or that offer diverse viewpoints about current societal issues.

Policy and Procedures

The Provost's Office and the Office of Student Life have primary responsibility for the educational programs of the college and the authority to invite and sponsor external speakers for college events in the advancement of the college’s educational mission. By extension of this authority, staff and faculty departments may extend invitations to external speakers for departmental-related campus events.

Student clubs may propose external speaker events using the Club Event Proposal form. Campus Life will consider for approval only student club event proposals made in this format. All other students may propose external speaker events using the Westmont Activities Council Idea Proposal form.

The Provost and/or Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students in consultation with the President will resolve any disputes or controversies regarding the suitability of an external speaker for a campus event.