The University board of trustees is saying it will reset its review of what is considered controversial names of two campus buildings. This is going on while faculty members want the resignation of a board member for the comments he made during a meeting.

University Board Makes to Make a Fresh Start

The board in Richmond, Virginia said that earlier names would not be changing. However, that a commission to establish principles on renaming, thus ensuring what it called a “fresh start.”

Resignation of Paul Queally

Two hours before, the announcement came from the faculty senate that had ratified a vote of no-confidence in the board’s top member, rector Paul Queally. They had come out and called for his resignation. He was censuring by the faculty senate for comments made during a meeting. It was in front of seven members of the faculty who said he referred to students as Black, Brown, and “regular students.” Isn’t that special! Not very open-minded and respectful, either.

Then a black employee said she was interrupting and demeaned by Queally. Obviously, this did not bode well for Queally either. Can you say racial sensitivity training is in order or the boot which is what the faculty senate has legal right and grounds to do so? Therefore, they are going full steam ahead and exercising that right. In fact, the vote from the faculty is termed symbolic. Moreover, it will have no effect on university leadership. As a result, the board can remove its own members based on if their actions may negatively impact and reflect on the university, the faulty’s motion has said. Queally himself had no comment to offer or did the school officials.

University Buildings

In February, the university announced that it would not change the names of two buildings. One was a dorm naming for Douglas Southfall Freeman. He was a university trustee and rector from 1925 to 1950. Freeman had supported segregation, white supremacy, and eugenics.

The solution to correct this overtly constructed racism was to change the building’s name earlier this year to Mitchell-Freeman Hall. In fact, it added the name of John Mitchell Jr. He was a formerly enslaving man who became the editor of the Richmond Planet newspaper.

There is another building that is named for Robert Ryland. Ryland was key in founding what is now www.richmond.edu and was the school’s first president. Ryland owned at least seven slaves.

Complaints from students and faculty let to the board’s decision.