An open letter to the UA administration.

NOTE: The following column isn't actually how I feel about this topic. I haven't done enough research to actually make a decision on what I think. What it is, though, is a sample of an "Our View" that I wrote in an attempt to be next year's Crimson White Opinions Editor. I did not get the position, so I may write some columns but that's it. Expect opinions like this, though, and every day as the plan is to have an Our View every single time the paper prints.

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Foster Auditorium: A place infamous on our campus and across the nation, thanks to Alabama Governor George Wallace standing in the doorway to fight for a segregated school.

Everyone remembers good ol’ boy George in his infinite racism. What people need to be reminded of, however, is the fact that he lost. On that doorstep, in June 1963, segregation failed. We took one step further away from racist policies and closer to equality.

Yet, our UA administration seems intent on letting Foster Auditorium wither into obscurity. They seem to be so embarrassed by the actions of the governor that they forget the role we played in integration. Creative Campus attempted to bring attention to the history behind Foster and the role we played through their Foster Auditorium Awareness Week that suddenly became Awareness Day.

Why is that, admin? Why are we letting this issue move along quietly? Is it an issue of money? I don’t think so. If it is, call up some influential people. Artur Davis came to the forum, and his time isn’t something given lightly. I'm sure he could find some way to raise funds. As national and well-known Foster Auditorium is, funds should be no problem.

And speaking of fundraising, a silent fundraising? Keeping quiet until 2010? What purpose could that possibly have? Are you afraid to let people know whether or not Foster is making money, or is this just another attempt to sweep the topic of Foster’s possible renovations under a cone of silence?

This topic has gone completely under-discussed and ignored for too long. When President Whitt took over, he decided to stop all progress that had been taken toward making Foster Auditorium a historical site. That brought up hope of renovations, which are next to impossible to do on historical sites. That hope, however, was slowly and painfully throttled away via zipped lips and hushed conversations.

Why are we so terribly ashamed of Foster Auditorium? Why do we want it to continue its direction towards becoming a heap of rubble? Well, UA administration: Some of us don’t. You might not be able to tell since you’re not opening up any discussion on the subject and letting people with a vested interest say their piece. Maybe you are ashamed of it. Maybe you are embarrassed by what Governor Wallace did and how it seemed to taint the University with an air of racism. But after Prothro and Mt. Cody and Javier Arenas, I think it’s a little more than obvious that we’re not standing in any doorways any more.

So, here’s a novel idea. Let us have a say in our campus and in our history. With as much as we pay to come to this great Capstone, it’s the least you could do.