by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer

Some Sewanee students and alumni say revoking the honorary degree of former journalist Charlie Rose took too long, but praised the student activism that helped make it happen.

“I am so supremely proud of the students who headed the revocation,” said senior Alena Kochinski. “It was just simply the right thing to do. But it wasn’t an easy one. It took a lot of guts. And the amount of time the University left students in the dark compared to the student reaction, it was striking.”

Saunders Drukker, who graduated in 2017, said the revocation may not move the fight against sexual misconduct forward on campus, but the students’ response to the University’s inaction will.

“The student body of Sewanee, through their protests and their united voice, revoked Charlie Rose’s honorary degree,” Drukker said. “Students and student organizations like the WICK, with their decision to not ‘just let it go’ revoked Charlie Rose’s honorary degree. In an inspiring upset the students made this decision; thankfully the school itself finally caught up.”

The Board of Regents voted on March 20 to revoke the degree, utilizing a new four-step process for revoking honorary degrees, something the University of the South had not done in its150-year history. The process for revocation requires a formal request for revocation to the Vice Chancellor, followed by at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Joint Regent-Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees, the University Senate, and the Board of Regents. Vice Chancellor John McCardell cited not previously having a process in place as a prime reason the revocation could not move forward.

The Board of Regents has final authority in both granting and revoking degrees. Several members of the Board of Regents declined to comment on the revocation, citing confidentiality. The University also issued a statement saying the process was confidential.

McCardell, a non-voting member of the Board of Regents, said Rose has been notified of the revocation and stated that it is time to move forward.

The University awarded Rose the 2016 honorary degree for his decades-long success in journalism, but a Washington Post article in November 2017 cited at least eight women who claimed that Rose had sexually harassed them. Rose acknowledged past inappropriate behavior, but also said not all claims were factual. The CBS This Morning show fired Rose as an anchor and his eponymous interview show on PBS was also cancelled.

In the next few months, Sewanee students organized a petition calling for the University to rescind Rose’s honorary degree and in February 2018, in a letter responding to a revocation request from student trustees, the Board of Regents stated it would take no action on the degree and as an institution governed by the Episcopal Church, called for forgiveness of Rose and not condemnation of a sinner.

That letter ignited a student-led rally on Feb. 22 on the University Quad, as well as additional petitions and letters from staff, faculty and Sewanee community members. A student-created group, “Speak Up Sewanee,” also organized a protest that called for not wearing academic gowns until the University revoked Rose’s degree.

Drukker called it “shameful” that the University took so long to revoke the honorary degree and missed a chance to be at the forefront of a cultural change in attitude toward sexual misconduct. He said Rose proved that he was not someone “worthy of our honor.”

“I understand, though don’t necessarily agree with, the school’s desire to show forgiveness, but I do not know a world where honor and forgiveness are joined at the hip,” he said. “It is fully possible to forgive wrongdoing while still rescinding accolades. That being said, I don’t think Charlie Rose showed a spirit of repentance for his actions, and as such is not at this point in the position of being forgiven.”

Drukker said he is hopeful the activist attitude sticks around campus and people continue to be angry about the way sexual assault is treated at Sewanee.

Kochinski said it will take time to heal after this controversy.

“I am still upset with the University; it will take time to fix that—if it can be fixed. However, the support the students have for one another and for the movement makes me absolutely thrilled and honored to be enrolled here,” she said.

Students need to “keep our voices loud” and hold one other accountable in the fight against sexual misconduct.

“I have no doubt this can happen, but it’s hard to fight the good fight and get that 10-page paper done by Friday,” she said. “This shouldn’t be all left to the students, we need more help from the administration. More outlets for conversation, and punishment for offenders,” Kochinski said.

McCardell has stated that Sewanee takes the issue very seriously and is continuing to make strides in combating sexual misconduct. Dean Marichal Gentry and professor Kelly Malone chair a task force that is developing new recommendations concerning sexual misconduct on campus.