Since I grew up in California and now live in Texas, I have never in my life yelled “Roll Tide” or really even cared about the SEC. However, the University of Alabama’s board of trustees recently displayed such backbones of steel that I just might break out into a full-throated cheer.
Last week, they voted to give back $21.5 million to the school’s largest donor and take his name off their law school. The donor, Hugh Culverhouse Jr., urged businesses and prospective students to boycott the state over the new abortion law, but that was just the latest in a series of bad relations between the school and the donor.
Though Culverhouse did not request a refund, the school did it anyway. Oh, an as an added bonus, they also added any accrued interest.
NPRhas the details:
“The action taken by the Board today was a direct result of Mr. Culverhouse’s ongoing attempts to interfere in the operations of the Law School,” the university’s vice chancellor for communication, Kellee Reinhart, said Friday. “That was the only reason the Board voted to remove his name and return his money.”
Culverhouse issued a statement Friday in which he renewed his call for students “to protest and reconsider their educational options in Alabama.”
Alabama’s President Stuart Bell agreed with the decision. “This decision was made for reasons of academic and institutional integrity,” he said in a prepared statement. “I appreciate the actions of the Chancellor and our Board of Trustees and their unwavering support of these intrinsic values.”
Within hours of the Board’s decision, university workers began the prying Culverhouse’s name from the sign outside the law school. Chelsea Barton posted video of this to Twitter:
NOW: University of Alabama grounds crews are taking down the signage in front of UA’s School of Law. The Board of Trustees voted this morning to return Hugh Culverhouse’s $21.5 million donation and restore the name of the law school to The University of Alabama School of Law. pic.twitter.com/KmGFbaUoYg
— Chelsea Barton (@ChelseaBarton_) June 7, 2019
In a day when college campuses bow to those who whine the loudest and have the deepest pockets, this just might make all conservatives Alabama fans.
Roll Tide!
Hat Tip: NPRImage Credit