 William & Mary College athletic logo |
Tens of thousands of green and gold feathers are being distributed to students and alumni at the College of William & Mary in an independent newspaper’s act of defiance to an NCAA ruling that the school’s logo including two green and gold feathers amounts to “hostile and abusive” imagery.
The ruling was made a year ago, but the school also has refused to challenge it, so officials with “The Virginia Informer” said they, with contributions from several alumni, are paying for 30,000 feathers to hand out over this weekend.
“I am glad that we have the opportunity to help show our love for the college and our team and also send a message to the NCAA that despite their official actions, there is nothing they can [do to] stop us from using the symbols we want to use,” said Joe Luppino-Esposito, editor of the newspaper.
“Most people feel what the NCAA did was wrong, and we editorialized on it last year. And now, instead of just words, we can share our opinion by taking action,” he said.
As WND reported, a similar distribution was done a year ago during homecoming weekend by the college chapter of Young Americans for Freedom.
Following the NCAA ruling, college President Gene Nichol sent an e-mail to the student body that the college would not continue to battle for its traditional symbols. At that time, Luppino-Esposito called it an issue of common sense.
“Two feathers are not offensive,” he said, “and anyone who thinks so should not be taken seriously.”
This year, the college warned student groups that any float entry “showcas[ing] a Native American or Native American symbols will not be allowed to participate. The unit entry application will be rejected and the unit will not be able to walk the parade route,” according to Luppino-Esposito.
“Unfortunately, the college has not stood up to the NCAA, but we will,” he said.
The school, which has featured teams called the “Tribe” for years, is working on a new logo.
The committee is “on schedule” to provide a new logo to Nichol “that could be unveiled at homecoming if he desires,” said Sam Sadler, the school’s vice president of student affairs and “Logo Committee chairman.”
He said right now none of the meetings is open to the public.
 The historic Wren Chapel |
The Informer also has been maintaining a campaign regarding Nichol, who triggered an uproar in the school’s community and state a year ago by ordering the historic Wren Cross removed from the centuries-old chapel
The newspaper recently reported Nichol apparently is giving up campus duties to work with fundraising and alumni.
The move comes after a coalition of alums organized a petition calling for the school’s Board of Visitors to not renew Nichol’s contract.
“Nichol has betrayed our trust by creating a call of silence, elevating personal pursuits above the good of the college and deceitful lawyerly posturing,” said Nina Hartley, a 1975 graduate and part of the group. “His claim of executive privilege and unresponsiveness are reminiscent of Richard Nixon.”
The issue of the removal of the cross, which was done to make the chapel less “faith-specific,” was followed by an incident in which school student fees were used to pay for a “sexually explicit event involving strippers, prostitutes and porn actors that was made mandatory for students in certain majors” on the campus, and shortly later, word came that a planned donation of $12 million was being withheld because of Nichol’s performance in office.
The sex event at the school where former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor now serves as chancellor was called the Sex Workers Art Show and featured topless dancers, demonstrations of sex toys, Q&As with male and female prostitutes – all in the name of empowering “sex workers.”
At least two professors objected to the show citing studies that pornography incites sexual violence. But Nichol issued a statement defending it in the name of free expression.
The Wren cross originally was taken out of the chapel after Nichol reported he got a complaint about it. But alumni and students launched a website campaign, called Save The Wren Cross, and collected more than 18,000 names demanding the cross be restored.
As the number of names on the petition rose, Nichol at first admitted he “acted too quickly and should have consulted more broadly” and dictated that a plaque would be installed in the chapel.
The move failed to satisfy those who wanted the donated bronze cross restored to the historic chapel, and the university eventually assembled a special committee to deal with the crisis.
The college later confirmed the antique cross would be placed in a glass display case at the front of the chapel, which now has been done.
Previous stories:
Prez who removed Wren Cross now gives up campus duties
Alumni want Wren Cross prez booted
Board in Wren Cross fiasco targeted
Students want Wren Cross explanation
Cross ban could cost $12 million
Cross-snatching college holds porn show
Are feathers ‘hostile and abusive’ to Indians?
