College returns cross to chapel (the alums strike back)

Wa Times ^ | 3/7/06 | Altamirano

[pabianice]

Administrators at the College of William & Mary, responding to months of harsh criticism from alumni, ordered the immediate return of a cross to the Williamsburg school's historic Wren Chapel yesterday.

Alumni angered by the removal of the cross in October threatened to withhold millions of dollars of donations -- including a $12 million gift.

College President Gene R. Nichol announced the decision at a press conference yesterday afternoon with the co-chairmen of a special presidential committee charged with studying the role of religion at public universities.

"This has been a challenging task for the committee, but it has produced a compromise that allows for permanent display of the cross in the chapel, while remaining welcoming to all," Mr. Nichol said. "I fully embrace it."

The 14-member committee, co-chaired by religion professor James Livingston and law professor Alan Meese, issued its unanimous recommendation earlier than its deadline of the Board of Visitors meeting next month...

[geezerwheezer]

Mr. Nichol ain't worth a plug penny! What a scumball/screwball W&M has hired. Isn't former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor the Provost at William & Mary? Where was she in all of this mess? Very interesting and food for thought.

[Tirian]

But note that they really haven't changed - they are just covering their tracks and hoping that the pressure will abate (and the money will resume flowing). The proposal is simply that the cross is to be returned as a display under glass, a mere museum piece somewhere in the chapel, not as a symbolic key to understanding the purpose of the chapel:

from over at powerlineblog.com link here

The committee has now supplied [a recommendation], and President Nichol and the board of visitors have accepted it. The committee recommended unanimously that the cross be put on permanent display at the chapel, but that it be put behind a glass case. The case will be in a "prominent, readily visible place" with "a plaque explaining the college's anglican roots" and connection to the Bruton parish church. Moreover, "the Wren sacristry shall be available to house sacred objects on any religious tradition for use in worship and devotion by members of the college community."

So keep up the pressure and spread the word - this "solution" is just smoke and mirrors for the easily-fooled (in their lofty minds, that is)...

[bboop]

Chimera, you were part of this fight-back? It's perfect -- hit them HARD where it hurts. Words, they won't listen to words. It's fighting DEEDS -- cut off the money, you win. It's quite simple and straightforward. And it is direct and clear consequences to their decision. Keep up the good work.

[itsahoot]

Just another lib scumbag Administrator/

Am yet we hear a hue and cry to let these administrators have the ability to fire Willey nilly any teacher.(I know this is college but the same attitude is prevalent in public school administration as well)

As bad as the NEA is, there would be very few conservative teachers in education without them. There has to be a better way.