For almost a half-decade the Wofford alumni community has been riven by conflict, mirroring the social and political disruption in our nation at large. The causes are well known and not the point of this essay. Every facet of alumni life has been affected, from participation in Homecoming events to contributions to the financial well-being of the college.
Some alumni are totally estranged from their alma mater, while others have maintained their relationship with the college unchanged. Within the estranged group some simply have withdrawn passively; others have tried to develop an active, vocal opposition to the administration and its policies. This attempt to create a “loyal opposition” was hampered by the lack of a platform from which alumni could speak to the Wofford community.
As is typical today, lacking an alternative, the attempted dialog migrated to the internet where, also typical, things were said that would never be said in person. The situation degenerated with both those opposing and those supporting the administration making vicious, ad hominem attacks. Also, local Wofford events, which had always been pleasant social occasions, now were looked on as opportunities for a “Gotcha” moment to attack and embarrass the president.
By the Spring of 2024, the situation had become intolerable. I called for a moratorium with no internet commentary and suggested that everyone take the summer to reconsider who we were as Wofford alumni. I suggested that these recent behaviors did not reflect our best, and that we should be able to disagree without such rancor. Finally, I offered to host a dinner after this period of reflection to consider solution(s) to resolve our conflicts and find a way forward.
Remarkably, a period of relative quiet ensued and a dinner was held last October at the Piedmont Club in Spartanburg. Those attending included members of the administration, the faculty and the Board of Trustees. Current students, mostly representing student government or publications, were present. Finally, alumni across geographic and age distributions were represented. Very specifically, Dr. Carroll Player, the most prominent spokesperson for the “loyal opposition”, was present to make the case for that point of view.
The discussion was frank and robust, but very collegial. Several hours of debate resulted in the following proposals being accepted by the group. Dr. Samhat supported each of these and agreed to take the administrative steps necessary to put them into effect.
First, The Old, Gold, & Black will publish communications from alumni, both Letters to the Editor and Op-Ed type essays. These will be edited according to the standards of journalism: brevity, grammar, appropriateness of language, etc. No personal attacks will be published. Submissions are encouraged from across the socio-political spectrum, but will neither be selected, denied, nor edited due to content. Every submission must be signed; and the author’s email address will be published. To increase availability and timeliness, the OG&B will be sent digitally to the same distribution list as Conquer and Prevail.
Second, Dr. Dwain Pruitt will inaugurate a series of town hall meetings via a video chat type format. The exact details and schedule are to be determined. But one great advantage of this modality is its existence essentially in real time; Dr. Pruitt could respond almost instantly to events on campus or in the outside world, providing a platform for alumni to speak to each other and to the Wofford Community, even in a “crisis” situation.
Finally, there had been concerns that there were no means by which alumni could communicate with the Board of Trustees. Previously, the function of the Alumni Executive Committee had been enhanced, so that its Chairperson attended the quarterly Board meetings to serve as a liaison between the alumni and the Board. Now, as a result of a proposal from the October meeting, alumni will be able to communicate directly with the Board of Trustees by contacting the chairperson at:
I want to thank everyone who gave their time to participate in this event. I am grateful to President Samhat and the administration for their support and their openness to new ideas. I especially note board member Costa Pleicones, whose judicial temperament and wisdom were invaluable. I remain in awe of Dr. Rachel Vanderhill and Ron Robinson, both of whom were incredibly quiet through almost the entire evening, but then made insightful comments that clarified key points in our discussion. The alumni present fulfilled admirably the charge they were given; and each of them made valuable contributions. Finally, the students were magnificent, reinforcing my confidence in Wofford and in our future.
So this is an invitation to all Wofford alumni to engage, to comment on all things Wofford. Submit letters to the editor and Op-Ed essays. Let us have a vigorous debate that is rational and respectful.
George S. Tyson, MD ‘72
Letters to the editor can be submitted at [email protected]
