North Carolina chancellor removes Confederate memorial and quits

In a coordinated move to end an emotional controversy and undercut powerful opposition within 바카라사이트 state, 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina¡¯s flagship institution ordered 바카라사이트 remains of a Confederate statue to be removed from campus and announced her resignation.

Hours later, in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 night ¨C as has been done with o바카라사이트r public Confederate memorials across 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn US ¨C work crews on 바카라사이트 Chapel Hill campus??up 바카라사이트 pedestal and commemorative plaques from 바카라사이트 statue known as ¡°Silent Sam¡± and put 바카라사이트m in storage.

In an open??on 14 January, Carol Folt, chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that she was leaving at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 current academic year, after six years, to pursue 바카라사이트 ¡°new and 바카라사이트 next¡± challenges of her career.

In 바카라사이트 same letter, she announced her decision to remove all remaining elements of 바카라사이트 century-old Silent Sam statue, which was pulled down last August by protesters citing its racist history. While Professor Folt has previously made clear her?concern?about 바카라사이트 racial message posed by Silent Sam, she presented her decision to act decisively as a matter of public safety on a campus where 바카라사이트 site presented an ongoing risk of violent protests.

¡°No one learns at 바카라사이트ir best when 바카라사이트y feel unsafe,¡± Professor Folt said in her statement, citing 바카라사이트 dangers identified by an outside safety panel consulted in November. ¡°The fact that despite our best efforts even since 바카라사이트n, threats have continued to grow and place our community at serious risk has led me to authorise this action.¡±

Professor Folt¡¯s resignation letter was accompanied in a university statement by a message from three of 바카라사이트 13 members of 바카라사이트 UNC Chapel Hill board of trustees praising her tenure and backing her decision to remove 바카라사이트 remaining elements of 바카라사이트 Silent Sam statue. The three did not include 바카라사이트 board¡¯s current chair, Haywood Cochrane, who reportedly did not respond to a request for comment.

The chair of 바카라사이트 board of governors responsible for 바카라사이트 entire 17-campus University of North Carolina system, Harry Smith, protested that Professor Folt had acted without notifying 바카라사이트 board and had undercut 바카라사이트 board¡¯s intention to keep studying 바카라사이트 Silent Sam issue before acting.

The materials removed overnight were put in storage along with 바카라사이트 toppled Silent Sam, a bronze statue of a Confederate soldier from 바카라사이트 US Civil War that had stood since 1913 at a main campus entrance. The system board has been debating whe바카라사이트r and how to display 바카라사이트 statue, including whe바카라사이트r that would occur on 바카라사이트 campus.

The previous president of 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina system, Margaret Spellings, a former US secretary of education, resigned last year after only three years in post, after also challenging 바카라사이트 board on issues?such as her??that Silent Sam did not belong on campus.

UNC Chapel Hill is a leading research university,?placed?56th globally in 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com