Byron Bagby, Westminster College Class of 1978
Alexandria, Virginia
Dear Editor:
On Oct. 4, an announcement was made to the Westminster College family of the establishment of a Presidential Force on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I was accepted as a member of this task force, and 24 hours later had been removed from the Task Force. In some ways, this quick removal came as a disappointment. Yet, I was not surprised.
On Sept. 18, 2018 a letter went out seeking volunteers to serve on the “Presidential Task Force on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.” The mission of this task force “is to re-energize the Blue Jay Nation to make a full-fledged, long-term, and public commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that the entire community can champion.”
I was one of more than 65 volunteers to step forward. I asked the college staff coordinator if I needed to provide a biography or resume. The response I received was “I will let you know that a couple of other respondents wanted to make sure they recommended you for inclusion on the committee. You are very well thought of in our beloved WC community.”
The announcement made on Oct. 4 listed the task force members and included my name. However, President Fletcher Lamkin communicated to me during our conversation on Oct. 6 that he was removing me from the task force because several current Westminster Trustees had expressed their disapproval of my serving on the committee. These trustees apparently hold a great deal of animus toward me from the events and discussions that took place during the summer of 2017 surrounding the departure of former president Benjamin Akande.
Along with six other trustees, I resigned from the Westminster board in August 2017. My resignation was based on my individual consciousness and my feeling that the climate and conduct of the board had shifted outside my set of personal values and principles. Although I chose to terminate my service on the Westminster board, I continue to support the college and, most importantly, the students of Westminster College.
While disappointing, my removal was not a surprise. I have felt for decades that Westminster College was lacking in many aspects of diversity and inclusion. It appears that those who demanded my removal are using their animus as one more tool to stifle Westminster’s progress in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.