Sweet Briar students and faculty held a protest Friday against the college’s board and president’s decision to close the college. The rally attracted about 10 faculty members, 50 students and 20 alumni.
Sweet Briar History Assoc. Prof. John Ashbrook said the rally was planned by students, although it attracted both faculty and alumni to the Sweet Briar House, where the president resides.
“It was actually the students who decided to do it, and they got some of the faculty on board to support them,” Ashbrook said. “It was mainly a student initiative.”
At the event, assorted students, faculty and alumni spoke out on the value of a traditional liberal arts education and the need to preserve Sweet Briar.
“We had students that were taking classes speak up about what they remember best about Sweet Briar,” Ashbrook said.
Students and faculty held signs at the protest calling for the resignations of the board and president.
“It was not meant to be something damaging to the property,” Ashbrook said. “There was a friendly atmosphere, but it was with all purposes of expressing displeasure.”
Overall, Ashbrook said he was pleased with how the protest turned out. Although saving Sweet Briar is still a work in progress, he said he thought the protest brought more visibility to the issue.
“One of the reasons we had it was to keep the momentum alive to try to save our school,” he said.
He also said he was happy seeing the student, faculty and public response to the Saving Sweet Briar movement.
“I think we’re trending in the right direction, especially with the lawsuit that was recently filed,” Ashbrook said.
Although protesters are attracting attention to the issue, most are relying on the recent lawsuit against the college’s closure to save the school. Ashbrook said some members of the faculty, along with other supporters, have debunked arguments for the closure.
“The faculty leadership, with some supporters… are going to speak with the board on April 9th, even though the board’s been obstinate about any talk about reversing the decision and taking the school in a different direction,” he said. “Right now I think a lot of us are just waiting on what happens with the court decision.”
The Saving Sweet Briar movement is also hoping for Attorney General Mark Herring to intervene and help the cause in court so Sweet Briar can bring in new leadership.
“Hopefully if we can get pressure on the Attorney General of Virginia, then he might get involved in looking at the case and have a judge make the proper ruling to get an injunction and force the board and the president [out] so that we can get some visionaries and we can turn the school around,” Ashbrook said.
Until the court decision comes out, the Saving Sweet Briar movement is hoping to see an increase in support and donations.
“I’m hoping there will be a big ground swell and we’ll get even more people donating to save the school,” Ashbrook said. “I think that we have a pretty good shot to do it, otherwise I wouldn’t be so active in the Save Sweet Briar movement.”
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