SCOTTSDALE, AZ — The Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University is considered by many to be the best honors college in the United States.
Barrett has received high marks for its academic programs, quality of its students and faculty and staff that's committed to their success.
In June, the T.W. Lewis Foundation ended its endowment to Barrett after a 20-year relationship citing what it called hostility by faculty towards free speech.
In February the T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development hosted an event on health, wealth and happiness. It featured two highly polarizing conservatives, Charlie Kirk of Turning Point and commentator Dennis Prager. Their appearance did not go over well among many of Barrett's faculty.
Some took to social media to register their outrage. My college sold its soul to the highest bidder, one tweet said.
For 20 years Tom Lewis, through his foundation, endowed the Barrett Honors College, with scholarships at first, then the T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development.
"The speaker series was intended to teach self-awareness, leadership and career management," Lewis said.
But Lewis, who is conservative, says his relationship with the Honors College started to fray when the Lewis Center focused on what he says are the traditional American values of faith, family and freedom. Something Lewis believes rubbed faculty members the wrong way.
"They were not complaining that we were being too conservative, they don't want any conservatives there," he said.
Shortly after the February event, Tom Lewis decided to terminate his endowment accusing the faculty of failing to respect free speech. ASU was quick to point out, the event happened, no one's free speech rights were denied, and the University intends to keep it that way.
