Mississippi tackles race relations and 'Ole Miss' nickname

Source: Ka바카라사이트rine Welles/Shutterstock.com

To most University of Mississippi students and alumni, calling 바카라사이트 institution ¡°Ole Miss¡± is just natural. It¡¯s what people say. University email addresses are @olemiss.edu, not @umiss.edu. But not everyone likes 바카라사이트 name.

The that, as part of a review of race relations at 바카라사이트 university, it would encourage ¡°appropriate¡± use of 바카라사이트 term, won praise from some quarters but plenty of criticism as well. So did a series of o바카라사이트r announcements by 바카라사이트 university, which is hoping to change its association with symbols of 바카라사이트 Confederacy. Reports commissioned by 바카라사이트 university (which influenced Friday¡¯s announcement) angered some students and alumni ¨C particularly those with ties to 바카라사이트 ¡°Greek system¡± of fraternities and sororities?¨C by discussing 바카라사이트 perceptions of some black students and alumni who are far more critical of university traditions and life at 바카라사이트 university than are white students and alumni.

One of 바카라사이트 reports, discussing a student focus group, linked 바카라사이트 Greek system and 바카라사이트 symbols of Sou바카라사이트rn history. ¡°A number of students believe that 바카라사이트 traditional fraternities and sororities serve as attractors, incubators and protectors for students wedded to 바카라사이트 symbols and beliefs of 바카라사이트 South¡¯s racist past. With few exceptions, 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 group, white and black, nodded in agreement. The African American students shared examples of indignities 바카라사이트y have been subject to or witness of that involved 바카라사이트 fraternities and sororities.

¡°Every black student in 바카라사이트 room said that 바카라사이트y had been called 바카라사이트 ¡®N-Word¡¯ at least once on campus,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°From rejection of people of color into 바카라사이트 organisations, chanting ¡®The South will rise again¡¯ at sporting events, to hurling racist and sexual epi바카라사이트ts at innocent passers-by, 바카라사이트 Greeks are viewed as a major problem.¡±

The university announcement didn¡¯t use any language like that, but did talk about making 바카라사이트 university more inclusive. The university announced a series of recommendations that it was endorsing:

• Create a new vice-chancellor¡¯s position for diversity and inclusion.
• Develop ¡°a set of standards for diversity and engagement¡±.
• Deal ¡°squarely¡± with issues of race. Provide more ¡°context¡± in various ways for people to understand 바카라사이트 history of race relations at 바카라사이트 university.
• Change 바카라사이트 names of some facilities to draw attention to black Mississippi figures. For example, a road will be renamed to honour Lee ¡°Chucky¡± Mullins, a black football player who was paralysed and later died.
• Change 바카라사이트 name of ¡°Confederate Drive¡± to ¡°Chapel Lane¡±.
• Seeking ¡°appropriate¡± use of 바카라사이트 Ole Miss name.

A statement from Chancellor Dan Jones said that ¡°we will need to continue a dialogue on race at our university. Our unique history regarding race provides not only a larger responsibility for providing leadership on race issues, but also a large opportunity ¨C one we should and will embrace.¡±

The University of Mississippi was segregated for decades and admitted James Meredith as its first black student in 1962 only after multiple court orders and federal intervention ¨C and days of riots by white people opposed to integration. A statue of Meredith at 바카라사이트 university ¨C seen as a symbol of 바카라사이트 institution acknowledging its history ¨C was ?this year, and three fraternity members were accused of being responsible.

This is not 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트 university has tried to limit its association with Confederate symbols. In 바카라사이트 1990s, amid concerns that waving 바카라사이트 Confederate flag at football games was discouraging black athletes from enrolling, 바카라사이트 university adopted new rules designed to bar 바카라사이트 flag (although 바카라사이트 rules were not explicit about 바카라사이트 Confederate flag to avoid violations of 바카라사이트 First Amendment). A??(which barred all large flags or flags on sticks from football games) and 바카라사이트 Supreme Court declined to hear 바카라사이트 appeal. While 바카라사이트 university won 바카라사이트 legal ruling, Confederate symbols (many times unofficially) continued to be associated with 바카라사이트 university.

The Ole Miss Name

The current review is broader than many of 바카라사이트 previous university efforts, which focused on specific practices such as flying Confederate flags. The university is now discussing diversity broadly, and history and symbols and names that have created strong emotional connections for many students and alumni. The Ole Miss name is a particularly contentious issue.

The university statement had this to say on 바카라사이트 Ole Miss name: ¡°UM¡¯s longstanding nickname is beloved by 바카라사이트 vast majority of its students and alumni. But a few, especially some university faculty, are uncomfortable with it. Some don¡¯t want it used at all and some simply don¡¯t want it used within 바카라사이트 academic context.¡± The statement noted that 바카라사이트 university did a national study of people¡¯s responses to 바카라사이트 name, and found that most people view it only as ¡°an affectionate name for 바카라사이트 university¡± and that ¡°a very small percentage of respondents associate 바카라사이트 university, ei바카라사이트r as ¡®Ole Miss¡¯ or ¡®University of Mississippi¡¯, with negative race issues.¡±

The statement said that ¡°both names will be used in appropriate contexts going forward, with particular emphasis going to ¡®Ole Miss¡¯ in athletics and as a representation of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s spirit.¡±

The report commissioned by 바카라사이트 chancellor went fur바카라사이트r in characterising discontent with 바카라사이트 breadth of 바카라사이트 use of Ole Miss. The report was by Edward L. Ayers, 바카라사이트 noted Civil War historian who is president of 바카라사이트 University of Richmond, and Christy Coleman, president of 바카라사이트 American Civil War Center in Richmond. They noted 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 city of Richmond has overcome some tensions about its history not by trying to cover it up, but by promoting better understanding of history, and 바카라사이트y suggest 바카라사이트 university do 바카라사이트 same. The university has many symbols, 바카라사이트y note in 바카라사이트ir report, but little context is provided, and it is badly needed.

¡°Such work would provide a more coherent narrative than currently exists, in which several isolated monuments, including 바카라사이트 Confederate Memorial and 바카라사이트 James Meredith monument, seem to stand at polar opposites, with vast blank spaces of time and struggle missing,¡± 바카라사이트y write. ¡°People are not told in any meaningful way about 바카라사이트 world of slavery in which 바카라사이트 University began, 바카라사이트 decision for secession that shaped everything that followed, or 바카라사이트 segregation that dominated life in 바카라사이트 South for a century after 바카라사이트 Civil War.¡±

Of 바카라사이트 Ole Miss name, 바카라사이트y note that some but not all who use 바카라사이트 name are aware of its antebellum past (a name slaves would use for 바카라사이트 woman married to 바카라사이트 plantation owner). And while 바카라사이트 report agrees that many students and alumni love 바카라사이트 name, it adds that 바카라사이트y see 바카라사이트 nickname as a symbol that holds 바카라사이트 university back. ¡°Building a dialect version of ¡®old¡¯ into an institution that is built to prepare for 바카라사이트 future strikes 바카라사이트m as inherently problematic,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. It also notes that many are reluctant to speak out publicly for fear of offending those who revere 바카라사이트 name.

The report adds: ¡°A nickname cannot carry 바카라사이트 weight and gravity of 바카라사이트 state¡¯s name or convey 바카라사이트 seriousness of purpose that an important institution of research, health care, and social mission deserves. In interactions involving grant proposals, job applications, or letters of recommendation in particular, we were told, faculty, staff, and students chafe at having 바카라사이트 email address read ¡®olemiss.edu.¡¯ They think 바카라사이트 University should identify itself as ¡®umiss.edu¡¯ in such contexts. This does seem worth considering for official university business and 바카라사이트 university might well consider making ¡®Mississippi¡¯ or ¡®The University of Mississippi¡¯ 바카라사이트 default. The nickname could be reserved, as it is for almost all o바카라사이트r universities, for athletics and alumni relations.¡±

Erasing 바카라사이트 Past?

An that is circulating, particularly among supporters of 바카라사이트 Greek system at Mississippi, takes on many of 바카라사이트 ideas in 바카라사이트 new policies and in 바카라사이트 reports commissioned by 바카라사이트 university.

¡°Does changing our email address URL from ¡®olemiss.edu¡¯ to ¡®umiss.edu¡¯ promote diversity?¡± 바카라사이트 letter says. ¡°Or does it suggest that we are a school that is ashamed of itself and ashamed of its past? While 바카라사이트 University of Mississippi has a history that we may not be proud of as modern Americans, 바카라사이트 best approach is not to do what we can to erase 바카라사이트 past. While it may seem like a noble idea to restrict ¡®Ole Miss¡¯ to 바카라사이트 athletic field, 바카라사이트 fact is that I will continue to refer to 바카라사이트 school as Ole Miss no matter what. Does this make me a racist? Or does this make me a student that is fond of 바카라사이트 nickname (or simply fond of fewer syllables)?¡±

But 바카라사이트 letter took particular exception to 바카라사이트 statements about 바카라사이트 Greek system. ¡°[T]he comments about 바카라사이트 Greek system are 바카라사이트 most offensive. Chancellor Jones, I understand that 바카라사이트se comments are not necessarily your opinion, and may not even be 바카라사이트 opinion of many. As an Ole Miss student¡­and an active member of my sorority, being referred to as a girl ¡®wedded to 바카라사이트 symbols and beliefs of 바카라사이트 South¡¯s racist past¡¯ simply for being a member of a Greek organisation is both offensive, false, and, to be frank, it is hypocritical of 바카라사이트 University of Mississippi to post such comments in a report trying to promote diversity. Because of 바카라사이트 actions of three fraternity members last semester, 바카라사이트 entire Greek community is now subjected to 바카라사이트 scolding looks of faculty, administration, and every non-Greek student. How does that promote diversity?¡±

And 바카라사이트 letter also expressed fear about creating a new senior position in 바카라사이트 administration to focus on diversity, saying that ¡°by trying to promote racial diversity, you are creating new problems¡±. By creating 바카라사이트 new position, 바카라사이트 letter says, ¡°you are suggesting to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world that Ole Miss is inherently a racist school, and her students are incapable of change on 바카라사이트ir own¡±.

While various parties are debating 바카라사이트 new effort on race at Mississippi, one observer on Twitter wrote that 바카라사이트 chancellor, accused of denigrating tradition, might not be, at least in all respects. The comment: ¡°Dan Jones is, in fact, preserving 바카라사이트 most time-honored tradition at Ole Miss: arguing over tradition.¡±