Jepson School Forum Over Controversy-A Disappointment

The Jepson School held a forum yesterday in a model of civil discourse that was supposed to be an “open and frank conversation.” Was it? Maybe on the students' part. Many of the faculty that sat in front of the students both attempted to defend and represent Jepson (as I suspect they were instructed to do), while also speaking out against the awarding of Victoria Cobb. Though many students raised very pressing issues, such as the fact that many within the LGBT community feel isolated, unsafe, and unwelcome at the University of Richmond, these greater issues at hand were never really explored. Many of the faculty said plainly that they did not support the awarding of Cobb, yet they also sat in front of a group of about 40 students and defended Jepson's decision.

The faculty that sat on the panel at the forum all had important things to say, however, they didn't really address what the real issues behind the controversy. Despite the avoidance of the issues at hand, I cannot hold it against the Jepson faculty who were sent to be puppets, and not to speak for themselves. Though the process in which Cobb was chosen to receive the award was questioned, Dean Peart, did everything but clear this up. She got the final statement at the forum and provided a brief overview of the process without giving any real detail. She said something along the lines of: Victoria Cobb was nominated along others and when it came down to it Victoria's leadership was the least worse of the remaining nominees, after Elizabeth Hopfinger Thompson was also chosen to receive the award. I think it would make more sense to have only given the award to the worthy candidate and not to the least worse of the remaining nominees. Despite all of this, I would have liked to see the persons responsible for giving Victoria Cobb the award on the panel–not just the face of Jepson, the faculty who felt like they had to say what Jepson wanted them to say or risk losing their jobs.

I was most moved by some of the stories that some of the students chose to share with the group about the terrible hardships they have faced at the University of Richmond because they identify as LGBT. These stories were disheartening though since they resonated the alienation and unwelcomeness felt by many of the LGBT community at the U of R. If the school is so concerned about maintaing its conservative money donors, then I suggest it consider the fact that the current students are the future alumnae (and maybe even donors!). As a future alumnae of this school, I hope that the University will learn to respect its students a little more and to protect them as it proposes to in the Richmond Promise.

Jessie