Sunday, March 02, 2008
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Jean Love Hammond
Hammond, of Charlottesville, is a Randolph-Macon Woman's College alumna from the class of 1958.
In reporting the controversy surrounding the change to a co-educational college, now Randolph College, and the sale of four paintings by the school, formerly Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, media reports have not included several significant items of information.
The majority of the alumnae are distressed by the developments during the past 18 months.
Some Web sites need to be highlighted for those who wish to acquaint themselves more fully with the status of lawsuits in these matters and the positions of both sides.
For Randolph College, randolph.edu provides a wealth of information. Of special interest is the white paper from President John E. Klein, which can be found under "News" on the site's home page.
In this four-page document, Klein states Randolph College's position regarding the sale of paintings from the art collection.
The other source to which readers may refer is the Web site for the nonprofit organization Preserve Educational Choice, which was founded in response to the decision by the board of trustees to change from a woman's college to a co-ed institution, and thus precipitate a change in the college's name.
Subsequently, this organization has become the umbrella for the Art Defense Fund to which donors opposing the sale of paintings from the college's renowned collection of American art have contributed.
Preserveeducationalchoice.org provides the texts of Preserve Educational Choice updates that inform supporters of the status of litigation; copies of the pleadings; lengthy statements from faculty who opposed the way in which the switch to coeducation was made, if not that change per se; as well as the status of litigation opposing the sale of the art and texts of the briefs filed for the named opponents.
Not to be overlooked are the links in the Jan. 29 update to a recent exchange of letters between the attorneys for Randolph College and Preserve Educational Choice.
What must be borne in mind by all who follow these matters, or who have family and friends among the college's alumnae, is the challenge that was given to students at RMWC: to think independently and to exercise informed critical thinking as we live our lives.
Along with integrity and respect for each other, that is the R-MWC heritage. While it may lead to division and opposing opinions strongly held, I, for one, wish to affirm it as a quality that distinguishes all alumnae of Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Today's challenge is to see that these qualities will guide those responsible for educating the prospective alumni of Randolph College.
