Liberal Students, Professors* Protest

As many of you know, William and Mary’s President Nichol resigned earlier this week after hearing his contract would not be renewed by the Board of Visitors. The response from students and faculty has been all too predictable. They’re skipping classes. They’re making signs. They’re holding sit-ins. They’re chanting. They’re flocking to the sunken gardens. They’re singing. They’re hosting teach-ins. They’re liberal students in their natural habitat, doing what liberals do best. PROTEST!

The DoG Street Journal had a number of articles on this:

http://www.dogstreetjournal.com/story/4086

http://www.dogstreetjournal.com/story/4080

“We need to reform the board of visitors…I want a better board of visitors,” said one student.

One of the students interviewed said he believes the only way for students’ voices to be heard is through continued radical protesting.

Deb Hill, Coach of the Women’s Volleyball Team said (why did the DoG Street Journal interview her, she’s the coach of the volleyball team, who really cares what she thinks), “I’m very upset now because…the Board of Visitors is teaching all of you students all the wrong lessons. The Board of Visitors is teaching you that if you have money, you can be a bully.”

In response to the protesting, the BoV will visit the campus next week.
http://www.dogstreetjournal.com/story/4087

Wow. This is all so funny. But I think the protestors are missing the big picture here. If they want to get worked up, they should be mad at Richmond, because they were the ones who put the screws to the BoV. About a week before Nichol resigned, new members of the BoV were told to go to Richmond to have a little chat with the politicians. After all, William and Mary is a public school, and a substantial portion of the public hasn’t been too pleased. According to one news story:

“The chairman of the House Privileges and Elections Committee, Del. Mark L. Cole, R-Spotsylvania, has asked members of the William and Mary board of visitors who are up for confirmation to report to Richmond this week for a talk. Cole revealed his request yesterday after Del. Timothy D. Hugo, R-Fairfax, said on the floor of the House that he was embarrassed for his alma mater, which he said is ‘becoming a joke.’ He said he hopes college President Gene R. Nichol does not seek another term.”
Read the rest of the story here:
http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/state_regional/article/william_mary_board_members_called_to_richmond_after_sex_show/5111/

Earth to protestors. Nobody cares what you say. You’re not being heard in Richmond. They don’t care about you. What they care about is William and Mary turning into a laughing stock by getting headlines on Drudge Report and elsewhere (see cartoon above) relating to the sex show and the Wren cross. I’m sorry the Women’s Volleyball coach has such bad feelings toward money. This is the real world. Money matters here. If you tick off the people who pay the bills (millionaire donors and the taxpayers of the state, who the politicians answer to) and can’t fork over the cash yourself, that matters plenty. That’s life. Accept it and grow up.

*Please forgive me for the redundant title.