Announcement of The Generals’ Redoubt
Following the decision of the Washington and Lee Board of Trustees in fall, 2018 to re-name certain buildings, loan out the Peale portrait of Washington, and close the doors to the recumbent statue of Robert E. Lee during university events, a group of concerned alums and friends of W&L formed themselves into a group called The Generals' Redoubt. This group now has an inter-generational planning committee of more than 20 members whose names are listed below. We also have an e-mail list of over 2,200 individuals, most of whom are supporters of our positions. We have attached our Mission/Vision Statement as well as a list of Goals and Objectives.
Generally, we view ourselves as advocating the preservation of the history, values, and traditions of Washington and Lee. It will be noted that our very first goal is to establish for alumni and friends of the University a constructive dialogue with the Board of Trustees and Administration.
Moving forward, we will attempt to communicate to members of the W&L community our progress in establishing such dialogue and in achieving our goals.
For further information, please forward any inquiries to Rex Wooldridge ’64. His email address is rex@rexwooldridge.com
Sincerely,
Tom Rideout, Class of 1963
Chair, The Planning Committee
The Generals' Redoubt
The Generals’ Redoubt Planning Committee
Name Class Year
Terry Fohs 1962
Rufus King Barton 1963
Tom Rideout 1963
Rex Wooldridge 1964
Neely Young 1966
Bob Duvall 1968-Law
John D. Klinedinst 1971
Jeff Southmayd 1973
Matthew Calvert 1975, 1979-Law
Rodney Mims Cook 1978
Gerrald Giblin 1981
Jonathan Miles 1987
Elizabeth Barry Brown Parent-1991, 1994 & 2003 Law
Mona Hagmaier 1993
Susan McMurry Foubert 1997
Maggie Campbell 1998
Joshua Neely Young 1999
Hillary McCoy 2000
Mary Hight Sawhill 2000
Tripp Onnen, III 2005
Mike Decembrino 2012
Olivia Burr Koller 2012
Hayden Daniel 2019
The Generals’ Redoubt
On Vision and Mission
5 April 2019
Vision
The Generals’ Redoubt is a Cohort of Alumni, Faculty, Retired Faculty and Administration, Students, Parents and Friends dedicated to the Restoration and Preservation of the History, Values and Traditions of Washington and Lee University and its Named Founders.
Mission Summary
Working collectively as a cadre of concerned alumni and friends, The Generals’ Redoubt will seek reconsideration of actions by the current Administration and Board of Trustees that ignore significant aspects of the University’s recorded, oral and traditional institutional life. The Generals’ Redoubt will seek to prevent further retreat from the University’s history, values and traditions; protect revered campus buildings; and continue to honor the magnificent contributions of its Founders.
Mission Themes
The Generals’ Redoubt will consider its mission achieved if the following issues are successfully addressed:
1. Restore alumni relations by creating an open and on-going dialogue between the Board and Administration, on the one hand, and the Alumni, on the other.
2. Develop complete transparency from both groups in the above-mentioned relationship.
3. Achieve diversity and inclusivity without eliminating or hiding our history, values and traditions.
4. Ensure an ideologically balanced faculty teaching relevant and substantive courses.
5. Instill in the broad Washington and Lee community a zeal for free speech and a balanced and unbiased approach to teaching and learning.
The Generals’ Redoubt
-Goals and Objectives-
1. Pursue opportunities for constructive dialogue between The Generals’ Redoubt and the Board of Trustees and Administration.
2. Restore direct alumni voting for designated Board of Trustees positions and secure greater transparency in Board decision-making.
3. Reverse the recent decision to shield the Recumbent Statue of Lee during University events, return the Peale portrait of Washington to Lee Chapel, and modify the renaming of Robinson Hall.
4. Support creation of an Alumni Advisory Board to actively engage with the Director of Institutional History.
5. Seek Freedom of Expression in all areas of university life. Monitor closely and maintain the University’s stated adherence to the Chicago Principles, as the University of Chicago’s Faculty Committee Statement on Free Expression has come to be known.
6. Restore public prayer at ceremonial functions and underscore that prayer for participants is optional.
7. Maintain the historical and architectural integrity of the Front Campus consistent with its designation as a National Historic Landmark.
8. Critically evaluate the curriculum to ensure it (a) takes a broad and comprehensive approach to the traditional liberal arts and (b) that the core of the curriculum is based on the acquisition of certain skills and intellectual competencies, and on a common cultural knowledge derived largely from Western Civilization. Eliminate niche courses focused on identity politics and frivolous subject matter.
9. Advocate for greater political and ideological diversity in hiring faculty and educate new faculty and administrators on the history, values, and traditions of Washington and Lee.
10. Utilize Student Government, the Greek System and other existing student organizations to assume leadership for achieving a truly inclusive campus culture. Discourage administrative actions that promote student segregation.
11. Urge all elements of the Washington and Lee community to observe both the spirit and letter of the Honor System, particularly the single sanction enforcement.
12. In seeking student body diversity, emphasize a variety of economic backgrounds and life experiences.
5 April 2019