The college has officially canceled the shooting program and severed ties with the National Shooting Sports Foundation. This reversal is a direct result of the pressure we kept on the administration. Watch the college website to ensure no similar partnerships surface in the future.
March 20, 2016
Final supporters
To: Jay Simmons, President, Simpson College
Sunni Richer, Chair, Board of Trustees
Members of the Board of Trustees
We are alumni, supporters and friends of Simpson College. We have grave concern for the establishment of a Shooting Program with a full time Shooting Coach at Simpson.
Following staff layoffs and recent shootings and deaths in educational settings, the decision for a Shooting Program seems out of touch for a school that seeks to foster a close relationship with its founding entity, the United Methodist Church.
We find it disturbing that Simpson has accepted a $10,000 grant from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a lobbying entity to support manufacturers of weapons and ammunition. Simpson is the only United Methodist related institution on their list of grantees. Activities of these groups include NRA appreciation events. This action on Simpson’s part is anything but neutral. The liability that Simpson would incur in the sanctioning of a Shooting Program is monumentally significant for our reputation and funding. Just one incident could be devastating.
Students should pursue this sort of activity on their own at an area shooting range. However, the housing of weapons on campus and Simpson’s money going to this endeavor is insulting to many of us who paid or are paying tuition and give our money to the Simpson Fund. Assurances of the security of the weapons does not help with our belief that weapons of any sort do not belong on the campus of Simpson College.
Furthermore, we believe that the hiring of a full time shooting coach in these difficult financial times for Simpson, does in no way positively influence students to come to Simpson. There are many nationally awarded academic programs for prospective students to consider. We believe that sanctioned gun related activities have no place in our curriculum and call for the monies designated for them be applied to our college’s academic programs.
We believe that this action is in opposition to Simpson’s Mission Statement:
Drawing upon our relationship with the United Methodist Church and our religious traditions that guide us on issues of personal integrity, moral responsibility, social justice and global citizenship.
Likewise, as Simpson identifies with the United Methodist Church, the following from the Book of Resolutions should be taken into account:
4. Develop advocacy groups within local congregations to advocate for the eventual reduction of the availability of guns in society with a particular emphasis upon handguns, handgun ammunition, assault weapons, automatic weapons,automatic weapon conversion kits, and guns that cannot be detected by traditionally used metal detection devices. These groups can be linked to community-based, state, and national organizations working on gun and violence issues;
6. call upon all governments of the world in which there is a United Methodist presence to establish national bans on ownership by the general public of handguns, assault weapons, automatic weapon conversion kits, and weapons that cannot be detected by traditionally used metal-detection devices;
We, the undersigned, hereby call for immediate dissolution of the proposed Shooting Program and coach. We ask that Simpson use these funds for our established and respected academic programs.
Updates
January 31, 2016
The administration remains silent regarding the shooting program, but your signatures mean they can no longer ignore this issue. Email Jay Simmons today to demand he return the grant money and cancel this initiative.
January 31, 2016
The momentum behind this petition proves that our community refuses to accept weapons on campus. Post the link to your Facebook page and text three friends to keep this pressure on President Simmons.
Reached 100 supporters
January 31, 2016
81 Comments
I don't like to see Simpson's reputation declining because of a "gun" program".Students can learn to shoot in many places in Des Moines. An academic institution such as Simpson is not the place to harbor guns and ammunition. I do not approve of my donation to Simpson going in any way for this program.
I would appreciate a response from Dr. Simmons or the Board either to this petition, or, to a letter I sent earlier. The secrecy of the Board's actions in establishing the club, hiring the staff person, and taking gun lobby money are equally disturbing.
Two of our children attended Simpson College. I have long admired the college's vision. I do not believe keeping weapons on campus and hiring a full time shooting instructor is in alignment with the school's mission and that of the UMC. I ask you reconsider and make new decisions about these matters.
I was raised in the Simpson community from the age of 9. Simpson has always been a place of peace, civility, and rationale thinking. Establishing and funding this gun club contradicts the values I learned through Simpson.
If I had a child at Simpson and learned tuition dollars were going to support a shooting club (and they are!), I would immediately encourage my child to transfer or pay his/her own way. How does a shooting club with a full-time coach advance the Mission of Simpson College?
Considering our nation's epidemic of gun violence today, why is it necessary to establish a funded shooting club with a shooting coach that can only perpetuate a more active and dangerous gun culture? I understand the desire of many gun owners to hone their skills of eye-hand coordination at target practice. But I fear gun ownership has become more fear of "the other" and our fellow citizens are spreading a mindset that enforces the idea that we should always be prepared to exercise lethal force. Can Simpson represent a more healthy and positive response to the gun violence that threatens the well-being of society as a whole? I don't believe it can by supporting the the spread and use of more firearms among our friends and neighbors.
I definitely think there are better places that Simpson College could be putting money. Even the acceptance of $10,000. from the NRA, sends a message to the world. Students who wish to participate in shooting, should be told of a near-by place where they can participate away from the College.
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The college has officially canceled the shooting program and severed ties with the National Shooting Sports Foundation. This reversal is a direct result of the pressure we kept on the administration. Watch the college website to ensure no similar partnerships surface in the future.
March 20, 2016
Final supporters
To: Jay Simmons, President, Simpson College
Sunni Richer, Chair, Board of Trustees
Members of the Board of Trustees
We are alumni, supporters and friends of Simpson College. We have grave concern for the establishment of a Shooting Program with a full time Shooting Coach at Simpson.
Following staff layoffs and recent shootings and deaths in educational settings, the decision for a Shooting Program seems out of touch for a school that seeks to foster a close relationship with its founding entity, the United Methodist Church.
We find it disturbing that Simpson has accepted a $10,000 grant from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a lobbying entity to support manufacturers of weapons and ammunition. Simpson is the only United Methodist related institution on their list of grantees. Activities of these groups include NRA appreciation events. This action on Simpson’s part is anything but neutral. The liability that Simpson would incur in the sanctioning of a Shooting Program is monumentally significant for our reputation and funding. Just one incident could be devastating.
Students should pursue this sort of activity on their own at an area shooting range. However, the housing of weapons on campus and Simpson’s money going to this endeavor is insulting to many of us who paid or are paying tuition and give our money to the Simpson Fund. Assurances of the security of the weapons does not help with our belief that weapons of any sort do not belong on the campus of Simpson College.
Furthermore, we believe that the hiring of a full time shooting coach in these difficult financial times for Simpson, does in no way positively influence students to come to Simpson. There are many nationally awarded academic programs for prospective students to consider. We believe that sanctioned gun related activities have no place in our curriculum and call for the monies designated for them be applied to our college’s academic programs.
We believe that this action is in opposition to Simpson’s Mission Statement:
Drawing upon our relationship with the United Methodist Church and our religious traditions that guide us on issues of personal integrity, moral responsibility, social justice and global citizenship.
Likewise, as Simpson identifies with the United Methodist Church, the following from the Book of Resolutions should be taken into account:
4. Develop advocacy groups within local congregations to advocate for the eventual reduction of the availability of guns in society with a particular emphasis upon handguns, handgun ammunition, assault weapons, automatic weapons,automatic weapon conversion kits, and guns that cannot be detected by traditionally used metal detection devices. These groups can be linked to community-based, state, and national organizations working on gun and violence issues;
6. call upon all governments of the world in which there is a United Methodist presence to establish national bans on ownership by the general public of handguns, assault weapons, automatic weapon conversion kits, and weapons that cannot be detected by traditionally used metal-detection devices;
We, the undersigned, hereby call for immediate dissolution of the proposed Shooting Program and coach. We ask that Simpson use these funds for our established and respected academic programs.
Updates
January 31, 2016
The administration remains silent regarding the shooting program, but your signatures mean they can no longer ignore this issue. Email Jay Simmons today to demand he return the grant money and cancel this initiative.
January 31, 2016
The momentum behind this petition proves that our community refuses to accept weapons on campus. Post the link to your Facebook page and text three friends to keep this pressure on President Simmons.
Reached 100 supporters
January 31, 2016
81 Comments
As a clergy member of the Iowa Annual Conference and the Chair-person of it's Board of Church and Society, I strongly support a Weapons Free Simpson. Too many deaths have occurred by shootings at campuses of Higher Learning. They should be places for education, not guns and death.
I don't like to see Simpson's reputation declining because of a "gun" program".Students can learn to shoot in many places in Des Moines. An academic institution such as Simpson is not the place to harbor guns and ammunition. I do not approve of my donation to Simpson going in any way for this program.
I would appreciate a response from Dr. Simmons or the Board either to this petition, or, to a letter I sent earlier. The secrecy of the Board's actions in establishing the club, hiring the staff person, and taking gun lobby money are equally disturbing.
Two of our children attended Simpson College. I have long admired the college's vision. I do not believe keeping weapons on campus and hiring a full time shooting instructor is in alignment with the school's mission and that of the UMC. I ask you reconsider and make new decisions about these matters.
I was raised in the Simpson community from the age of 9. Simpson has always been a place of peace, civility, and rationale thinking. Establishing and funding this gun club contradicts the values I learned through Simpson.
If I had a child at Simpson and learned tuition dollars were going to support a shooting club (and they are!), I would immediately encourage my child to transfer or pay his/her own way. How does a shooting club with a full-time coach advance the Mission of Simpson College?
Considering our nation's epidemic of gun violence today, why is it necessary to establish a funded shooting club with a shooting coach that can only perpetuate a more active and dangerous gun culture? I understand the desire of many gun owners to hone their skills of eye-hand coordination at target practice. But I fear gun ownership has become more fear of "the other" and our fellow citizens are spreading a mindset that enforces the idea that we should always be prepared to exercise lethal force. Can Simpson represent a more healthy and positive response to the gun violence that threatens the well-being of society as a whole? I don't believe it can by supporting the the spread and use of more firearms among our friends and neighbors.
I definitely think there are better places that Simpson College could be putting money. Even the acceptance of $10,000. from the NRA, sends a message to the world. Students who wish to participate in shooting, should be told of a near-by place where they can participate away from the College.
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As a clergy member of the Iowa Annual Conference and the Chair-person of it's Board of Church and Society, I strongly support a Weapons Free Simpson. Too many deaths have occurred by shootings at campuses of Higher Learning. They should be places for education, not guns and death.