By Ellie Simmers | Assistant Editor
Whenever I tell someone I go to school in Lynchburg, Virginia, I often have to clarify that the University of Lynchburg and Liberty University are two very different places, despite being less than five miles apart.
The constant confusion between my small but beloved liberal arts school and the large, conservative institution across the expressway, whose shadow spans the entire city, is increasingly frustrating–especially lately, as I feel that shadow creeping ever closer, not because of who we are as students, but because of what has gone unaddressed by those in leadership.
It’s a frightening time for many across the country, and while staying silent may be the safer route, it’s no longer enough. The comfort of inaction comes at the cost of our community’s identity and at the expense of the values that make this campus our home.
When the Trump administration deports children fighting cancer, funds acts of genocide, seeks loopholes in the Constitution, makes volatile decisions regarding international trade, and threatens the democratic foundations of our nation, it becomes increasingly difficult for me to understand the choice to remain silent.
When President Trump signs executive orders aimed at dismantling the Department of Education, proposes stripping federal approval from accreditors that support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, approves cuts to Pell Grants and federal student loan programs, and threatens to revoke visas from international students exercising their First Amendment rights, I cannot comprehend how a university can justify remaining silent.
Many will argue that since the University of Lynchburg is such a small school, it won’t have the same impact as larger institutions like Harvard or the University of Virginia when making a statement. They might claim that our administration’s stance, or lack thereof, doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
But when I first toured the University of Lynchburg and decided to become a Hornet, I was told that just because it was a small school, it didn’t mean I had to do small things.
Our university may not be an institution with national political influence, like our fellow Lynchburg university, but that doesn’t mean our values and actions are equally as important.
We have the ability and the responsibility to make our voices heard, to stand for what’s right, and to ensure that the choices we make reflect the inclusivity and integrity that define us as Hornets.
On April 22, hundreds of college presidents signed a letter protesting the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” that colleges and universities are facing under the Trump administration.
While there are notable schools like Harvard University, Boston College, and Cornell University on the list of signees, there are institutions on the list with smaller student body populations than the University of Lynchburg, including our neighbor, Randolph College.
As we witness political interference in American higher education, I urge President Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Jeremy Welsh, the Board of Trustees and any other administrative officials at the University of Lynchburg, to join the over 380 college and university leaders who have already signed the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ “A Call for Constructive Engagement”.
By signing this letter, our administration will show that it stands for open inquiry, freedom of expression, and inclusive education in the face of mounting government overreach.
By signing this letter, our administration will show that it stands for and believes in the rights of the 206 international students currently enrolled in this school.
By signing this letter, our administration will show that the University of Lynchburg is not the school in Liberty University’s shadow, but the shining light of justice and freedom in the Hill City.
The University of Lynchburg has always taken pride in being a place where students are empowered to think critically, take risks, and act with integrity.
Now is the time for our leadership to live up to those ideals.
Not with silence, but with action.
Our community deserves to know that the values we hold dear will not be compromised by fear of retribution or complacency.
By taking a stand, we reaffirm not only who we are, but who we aspire to be.
The world is watching. So are we.