Save the W!

I was fortunate to attend Mississippi University for Women when I went to college. Despite the name, men are admitted to the university (following a court decision in the 1980s); however, the student population remains predominantly female.

I am not a native of Mississippi, and knew nothing of the W (as it is known affectionately to its alums) until I was contacted about Scholars Day (a day they interview for scholarships) in December 1993. I was unable to attend the actual Scholars Day event, but my dad took me down there the day before to interview.

At the time, I did not want to go to Mississippi to school. To be truthful, Mississippi was the last place on earth I wanted to attend school. I had seen Mississippi Burning, I had seen the footage about the civil rights movement. I knew all I needed to know about Mississippi.



Then I stepped foot on campus, and fell in love immediately. While not an ancient citadel of learning (it was established in 1884), it does have its fair share of old buildings. More importantly, it has more than its fair share of zany traditions. There are ghost stories, esoteric club rituals, and one of my favorites, Old Maid's Gate. The legend is that you have to walk through this gate backwards or you will suffer the supposed curse of being an old maid. If you forget, you can counteract the curse and propitiate the marriage gods by kissing the Kissing Rock (I am not making this stuff up). There was also the Mag Chain, a ritual you take part in on graduation day. The seniors, in their caps and gowns and heels, march (outside in May Mississippi heat), singing the Mag Chain song. After a brief ceremony, the girls rush the magnolia chain, which has been laid on the ground. There are magnolia blossoms interspersed throughout the chain. The legend is that you will have a husband for every blossom you pick off the chain. So to say the W is a unique place is a bit of an understatement.

This week, the governor of Mississippi announced a plan to merge the W with Mississippi State, as well as merging 2 historically black colleges with another black college. The basis for this is that it would save the state money, although the campuses of the schools would still be used as college campuses. This has created an uproar amongst the alums and faculty of the W. Merger with Mississippi State will only destroy the W. Not every student wants to attend a state school with over 10,000 students. Some students want an affordable education in a smaller, more intimate environment. Some women want to attend school at a place where they are not the minority, and where the can be assured that their voices will be heard. The W provides a unique educational experience for women (and smart men!), and it would be devastating to have that experience lost for future generations.

Although I don't know how effective my efforts will be, this week I wrote letters to the Governor of Mississippi, as well the Institute of Higher Learning. I wrote a letter to the editor that will be published in Sunday's Jackson Clarion-Ledger. It may be a losing battle we are fighting. But one doesn't stop fighting because the odds are stacked against them. And I think that a fight where there is a good probability of losing is a great fight to find yourself in.