In a class discussion about the film Dear White People, the conversation developed into something very real and very personal for many of the students, myself included. Just like the students portrayed in the film, the Rhodes College campus is currently in the midst of its most active and most vocalized conversation about injustice in a very long time, and definitely my 4 years here. This is both extremely exciting for the future of the college yet also painfully challenging for the process that must happen to get there. Despite coalitions formed and coalitions failed, academic research teams and casual lunch table conversations, I have struggled to find my “entry point” into this dynamic dialogue. Dr. Davis, during the class, offered the idea that everyone brings with them a set of experiences and values from which they can enter the campus-wide struggles for liberation. While my academic research team will be an important component to my involvement in the movement towards a more inclusive campus, it is not my entry point. Instead, I am in an incredibly unique position as a second-term student trustee to enter the discussion balancing the “College” on one hand and the “Student” on the other.
I am deeply honored to have been elected as a student trustee for my junior year then reelected this year. I have met some incredible people on the Board, granted most are white, upper-class men whose categorical experiences I have the benefit of relating to. Some of the things the trustees value are also things I value like loyalty, service, and truth (which are the major components on the Rhodes College seal). A fair portion are alumni and all are “friends of the college.” These are incredibly important people that consider the long-term future of Rhodes for generations to come. They ensure the college is in good financial health, help make decisions regarding adding new buildings, or advise in drastically changing the curriculum, amongst dozens of other things. Overall, the Board of Trustees is responsible for the well-being of the college beyond my immediate experience here. This is in stark contrast to what students at Rhodes expect it to be, and more importantly what the Student Trustees are expected to be.
Contrary to popular belief, the Board of Trustees as a whole is not terribly concerned with the day to day operations of the college, like what textbooks students read, what kinds of clubs exist, or what course professors decided to offer. They do not have the power, or the time to focus on those things. Instead, the Board of Trustees creates long-term plans that will sustain the values and reputation of the college. For example, the Board has been debating the expansion of the science facilities or the potential for an enhanced residential experience. When students see me and my connection to the Board, my reputation around campus is “the guy that loves Rhodes.” During times of difficult conversations, like the ones being held now, I feel constrained by this reputation. I am torn by promoting an idealized version of the college for campus tours and for Board meetings and by representing the larger voice of the student body when the student experience is being debated. It is here that my entry point to the conversation can thrive.
My status as an upper class, white, heterosexual Christian male has rarely if not ever made me part of an oppressed group of people. I cannot empathize and “feel the pain” of my fellow students nor authentically understand their experiences like one of my classmates brought up. However, I can stand behind moral values of humanity and equity in the face of our cultural differences and support direct action that expands the realm of inclusion for all students. It is important as the Board of Trustees creates long-term plans that they know how the campus climate is impacting the current student experience. It is okay, from the standpoint of a student trustee to say Rhodes College has problems for all institutions are imperfect. It is also okay, from a student perspective, to acknowledge that many injustices cannot be solved overnight nor should they be.
That being said, the only way to achieve future humanization and equity and intercultural camaraderie in the student body is to be fully aware of existing conditions. Many of the students here will never see a day of authentic harmony, but the students of today can lay the groundwork for future Rhodes students. That is the benefit of being part of a thriving institution that has a forward charging trajectory, unlike many other colleges struggling with debt, under-enrollment, and negative reputations. The Board’s long term plans have the potential to address the concerns aired by so many of our students and I feel obligated and empowered to help guide that process by reflecting the values of the Board to students and by illuminating the concerns of the students to the Board.
Reflections of an Urbanist 