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'We are not leaving': Sewanee's first Black leader helps propel a racial reckoning at university
Education
‘We are not leaving’: Sewanee’s first Black leader helps propel a racial reckoning at university
Sewanee: The University of the South last year hired its first African American vice chancellor, Reuben E. Brigety II, shown here on the campus of the private liberal arts school in Tennessee. (Stacy Kranitz for The Washington Post)
By Nick Anderson
March 16, 2021 at 7:00 a.m. EDT
SEWANEE, Tenn. — Reuben E. Brigety II gazed at the smashed tequila bottle found outside the front door of his family's campus home and seethed. The first Black vice chancellor and president of the University of the South knew on that fall morning that the perpetrators he calls "phantoms" had struck again. ... He resolved then, after suffering indignities in silence, to call out these unknown intimidators in public. So he delivered, in quiet, stern and measured tones, an explosive speech here on Feb. 7 at the All Saints' Chapel that launched a wave of introspection for the school known as Sewanee.
“Chen Hall, our home, has been repeatedly vandalized by phantoms who came at night,” Brigety told the university in remarks recorded on video. “They have trashed our lawn with beer cans and liquor bottles. They have left threatening messages on pilfered signs near our back door. And they have taken measures to ensure my family and I saw the indecent insults that they left behind.” ... Brigety declared that he would forgive the phantoms but not give in to them. “The sanctity, the security and the dignity of my family are inviolate, and we are not leaving,” he said. And then Brigety summoned the university community — faculty, staff, students and alumni — to hold a dialogue about its values. “It is up to you to decide who we are, what we will tolerate and how we will live together,” he said.
Last month, another incident rocked Sewanee. On March 14, Brigety disclosed that a few Sewanee students attending a lacrosse match the day before had shouted the n-word and other racist epithets at a visiting team from Emmanuel College in Georgia. The visiting squad included African American, Asian American, Native American, White and Latino men, Brigety wrote. The Sewanee roster appears to be mostly White.
“So pronounced were the shouted slurs in the third quarter that the game officials on the field ordered that Sewanee fans be cleared before play could continue,” Brigety wrote in an email to the campus community. He and the athletic director apologized to the visitors after the match and pledged to investigate. Exactly how many students were implicated in the use of epithets was unknown. Hundreds walked out of class Monday, Brigety said, to demonstrate against racism.
{snip}
Nick Anderson
Nick Anderson covers higher education and other education topics for The Washington Post. He has been a writer and editor at The Post since 2005. Follow https://twitter.com/wpnick
‘We are not leaving’: Sewanee’s first Black leader helps propel a racial reckoning at university
Sewanee: The University of the South last year hired its first African American vice chancellor, Reuben E. Brigety II, shown here on the campus of the private liberal arts school in Tennessee. (Stacy Kranitz for The Washington Post)
By Nick Anderson
March 16, 2021 at 7:00 a.m. EDT
SEWANEE, Tenn. — Reuben E. Brigety II gazed at the smashed tequila bottle found outside the front door of his family's campus home and seethed. The first Black vice chancellor and president of the University of the South knew on that fall morning that the perpetrators he calls "phantoms" had struck again. ... He resolved then, after suffering indignities in silence, to call out these unknown intimidators in public. So he delivered, in quiet, stern and measured tones, an explosive speech here on Feb. 7 at the All Saints' Chapel that launched a wave of introspection for the school known as Sewanee.
“Chen Hall, our home, has been repeatedly vandalized by phantoms who came at night,” Brigety told the university in remarks recorded on video. “They have trashed our lawn with beer cans and liquor bottles. They have left threatening messages on pilfered signs near our back door. And they have taken measures to ensure my family and I saw the indecent insults that they left behind.” ... Brigety declared that he would forgive the phantoms but not give in to them. “The sanctity, the security and the dignity of my family are inviolate, and we are not leaving,” he said. And then Brigety summoned the university community — faculty, staff, students and alumni — to hold a dialogue about its values. “It is up to you to decide who we are, what we will tolerate and how we will live together,” he said.
Last month, another incident rocked Sewanee. On March 14, Brigety disclosed that a few Sewanee students attending a lacrosse match the day before had shouted the n-word and other racist epithets at a visiting team from Emmanuel College in Georgia. The visiting squad included African American, Asian American, Native American, White and Latino men, Brigety wrote. The Sewanee roster appears to be mostly White.
“So pronounced were the shouted slurs in the third quarter that the game officials on the field ordered that Sewanee fans be cleared before play could continue,” Brigety wrote in an email to the campus community. He and the athletic director apologized to the visitors after the match and pledged to investigate. Exactly how many students were implicated in the use of epithets was unknown. Hundreds walked out of class Monday, Brigety said, to demonstrate against racism.
{snip}
Nick Anderson
Nick Anderson covers higher education and other education topics for The Washington Post. He has been a writer and editor at The Post since 2005. Follow https://twitter.com/wpnick
The vice-chancellor sent the email below to the campus community on Sunday, March 14, 2021.
Dear Sewanee Family,
It is with regret that I must share with you the details of an inexcusable incident that occurred yesterday, the steps we are taking to help prevent this from happening again, and the request we are making for your assistance in identifying those responsible.
Yesterday, Saturday, March 13, we were pleased to host the men’s lacrosse team of Emmanuel College for a match. Because of pandemic protocols, the only people allowed to attend were student-athletes, coaches, game management staff, and students. Approximately 120 Sewanee students attended. To our great dismay, a few of the Sewanee students hurled the most vile racial epithets (to include the “N-word” and other appalling epithets directed at people of color) toward members of the visiting Emmanuel team, whose roster includes white, African American, Asian American, Native American, and Latino men. So pronounced were the shouted slurs in the third quarter that the game officials on the field ordered that Sewanee fans be cleared before play could continue.
Though I was not present at the match, shortly after its conclusion, Athletic Director Mark Webb informed me of what had transpired. Upon hearing the disturbing news, I went to the lacrosse field to meet with the visiting team. As Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the entire Sewanee community, I personally apologized to our guests for the conduct of these students. I told them that Sewanee does not tolerate such behavior, and that we considered the assaults on their dignity completely unacceptable. Likewise, our athletic director and coaches apologized to their colleagues from Emmanuel, and AD Webb has informed the conference of this incident. We are also taking the following actions:
{snip}
Dear Sewanee Family,
It is with regret that I must share with you the details of an inexcusable incident that occurred yesterday, the steps we are taking to help prevent this from happening again, and the request we are making for your assistance in identifying those responsible.
Yesterday, Saturday, March 13, we were pleased to host the men’s lacrosse team of Emmanuel College for a match. Because of pandemic protocols, the only people allowed to attend were student-athletes, coaches, game management staff, and students. Approximately 120 Sewanee students attended. To our great dismay, a few of the Sewanee students hurled the most vile racial epithets (to include the “N-word” and other appalling epithets directed at people of color) toward members of the visiting Emmanuel team, whose roster includes white, African American, Asian American, Native American, and Latino men. So pronounced were the shouted slurs in the third quarter that the game officials on the field ordered that Sewanee fans be cleared before play could continue.
Though I was not present at the match, shortly after its conclusion, Athletic Director Mark Webb informed me of what had transpired. Upon hearing the disturbing news, I went to the lacrosse field to meet with the visiting team. As Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the entire Sewanee community, I personally apologized to our guests for the conduct of these students. I told them that Sewanee does not tolerate such behavior, and that we considered the assaults on their dignity completely unacceptable. Likewise, our athletic director and coaches apologized to their colleagues from Emmanuel, and AD Webb has informed the conference of this incident. We are also taking the following actions:
{snip}
2 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
I've known some of its graduates. A school of choice for some white, privileged southerners. And a short ride down I-24 to I-75 and GA-14, better known as TaylorGreeneistan. Monteagle and Sewanee are cut from the same cloth. Why the hate? I don't get it. I've never gotten it. They make no sense. 
