It’s time to let the fresh air in on Shorter University’s hill
Agood question is when will someone open up the windows of Shorter University on the hill and let some fresh air in? I must preface this with the fact that I have not now, nor have I ever had any connection with Shorter, other than that of a Roman that used to be proud to tell visitors to our community of the college on the hill that was such a great factor in our arts and education.
That was then and this is now. From what I read and what is told to me by those who have been and are still associated with the college, the financial and educational downward slide continues and the bottom isn’t far off.
What happened to this pride of Rome? What happened to this well-respected institution of higher learning that opened its doors to any students who yearned to learn from the best regardless of their religious affiliation or sexual orientation?
What happened to this center for the arts and culture that used to open its facilities for local residents to come up to the hill and paint, sing, play and take part with the college’s honored arts faculty? This is the same faculty who exited in mass rather than accept dictatorial control of their lives by an administration that has proven so out of touch with modern society that it is no wonder they have to virtually pay students with huge scholarships to even get them to attend. One of those students, who was on an athletic scholarship, told me he couldn’t wait to get away from Shorter and their archaic attitudes and policies and the only thing keeping him there was the scholarship. Do you think this has something to do with the reports that the school is teetering on financial disaster?
And speaking of sports, remember how Rome and Floyd County opened its arms and wallets to Shorter to make sure the school’s sponsorship of the NAIA National Championship football games could be held, and held to rave reviews by the visitors, the teams, and the NAIA, I might add. The school quickly soured that plum and apparently its whole athletic program, as one must deduce by the huge number of firings and resignations over the past few years.
Yes, Shorter is a private institution run by a religious organization that is guaranteeing the flow of dollars to keep the doors open and will continue to demand the administration continue to preach to their students a doctrine that is neither loving nor welcoming if you don’t fit the “mold” and the world as they see it. They own it and it is their right to do so, but don’t expect to ever see that old community support that welcomed the old Shorter College and praised it as such a great asset to our community.
What a shame. It’s time to take the nails out of the windows and let the fresh air in for everyone’s sake.
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