Gene Nichol, former president of the College of William & Mary, resigned yesterday in response to the William & Mary Board of Visitors' recent refusal to renew his contract. Despite a series of recent controversies within the William & Mary community, his decision to resign was unexpected by students and faculty.
In a statement released yesterday, Nichol explained that he recently was notified by the William & Mary rector that his contract with the College would not be renewed in July. As explained in the statement, he wrote, "Appropriately, serving the College in the wake of such a decision is beyond my imagining."
The Board also released a statement yesterday, noting that after a lengthy review, "there were a number of problems that were keeping the College from reaching its full potential and concluded that those issues could not be effectively remedied without a change of leadership."
In his statement, Nichol acknowledged that some of his recent decisions -- especially those concerning the removal of Wren Chapel's cross and the permission granted for the performance of the "Sex Workers' Art Show" -- had "stirred ample controversy" within the William & Mary community. He also commented on the steps taken last week by the House of Delegates' Privileges and Elections Committee to "effectively threaten Board appointees if I were not fired over [those decisions]."
As a result, he submitted his resignation yesterday morning. Members of the faculty and student body protested Nichol's decision.
"It's a pretty big deal for us," said sophomore Sravya Yeleswarapu. "We are all appalled."
Yesterday, students and faculty held a rally to protest Nichol's resignation. According to College Theater Prof. Francis Tanglao-Aguas who was present at the rally, the Board's actions toward Nichol were a betrayal of the College's ideals of diversity.
"This is beyond the removal of a president, beyond the removal of a person; this is about the rejection of ideals of diversity and acceptance that were encouraged and espoused by President Nichol," he said.
In its statement, however, the Board maintained that "this decision was not in any way based on ideology or any single public controversy."
Nichol wrote that he and his family were offered "substantial economic incentives" by the Board of Visitors in order to resign quietly and not to characterize the non-renewal decision as based on ideological grounds.
He added that "the values of the College are not for sale," making it clear that his resignation should reflect those beliefs.
The Board stated it chose not to renew Nichol's contract in order to "advance the best interests of the College."
The statement also noted that "the Board is cognizant that its decision will be deeply disappointing to many, especially members of our faculty and student body."
Multiple William & Mary students also released a statement yesterday afternoon, stating that they were "outraged and upset at the Board of Visitors' actions, which were seemingly inattentive to student and faculty concerns and almost singularly reliant on donor relations."
The statement noted some of Nichol's contributions to William & Mary and its quest for increased diversity, giving Nichol credit for beginning the Gateway Program, which is part of the College's financial aid program targeted at helping Virginia students from families that make less than $40,000 per year.
Tanglao-Aguas expressed a similar sentiment, noting "the real worth of a school lies not in the bricks of building; it lies in the minds and hearts of those in it."
The students' statement spoke not only to members of the Tribe community, but to other similar communities, noting, "For all public institutions of higher learning in Virginia, the student and faculty voice must be first in the minds of the decision-makers for the school."
In the parting words of his statement, Nichol encouraged students to continue working to promote their beliefs in diversity and First Amendment rights.
"I am confident of the triumphs and contributions the future holds for women and men of such power and commitment," he stated.
Taylor Reveley, a former dean of the William & Mary School of Law, has been appointed interim president of the college.He commented in a statement released yesterday that he did not seek the position, but will serve the "marvelous" college to the best of his abilities.
He added that he believes it is "vitally important to the continued progress of William & Mary is our commitment to the College as a place for students, faculty and staff of great diversity."
In the meantime, Nichol will return to the faculty of the William & Mary School of Law to resume teaching and writing, according to his statement.
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