With Removal of Silent Sam's Pedestal, UNC's Chancellor Throws a Curveball and Takes a Bow

By Tristan Dufresne 1/17/19 9:57PM

CHAPEL HILL — Carol Folt, chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, announced her abrupt resignation on Monday, the same day she ordered the removal of the pedestal upon which the Confederate effigy "Silent Sam" had stood for over a century, and which stood bare upon the north quad since protestors pulled the statue down on August 20.

The pedestal's removal was completed before the start of business the next morning. By 2 AM Tuesday, January 15, workers had used a crane to hoist the slab of stone and haul it on a flatbed truck from McCorkle Place, to be preserved elsewhere until a decision is made as to its fate.

The pedestal consists of the stone plinth and three tablets, one of which reads, "To the sons of the university who entered the War of 1861–65 in answer to the call of their country and whose lives taught the lesson of their great commander that duty is the sublimest word in the English language," referencing a quotation disputedly attributed to Confederate General Robert E. Lee, "Duty, then, is the sublimest word in our language."

Folt has served as chancellor since July of 2013. Her tenure as leader of the nation's oldest public university became snarled in the controversy and politics that flared around Silent Sam, which flared after the protests and counterprotests in Charlottesville, Va., surrounding the planned removal of a statue of General Lee in August of 2017.

Tuesday afternoon, in a closed session meeting, the UNC Board of Governors ordered Folt, who had planned to stay in her position through May, to vacate her post by the end of the month.

"As chancellor, the safety of the UNC-Chapel Hill community is my clear, unequivocal and non-negotiable responsibility," Folt wrote in a press release that circulated Monday. "The presence of the remaining parts of the monument on campus poses a continuing threat both to the personal safety and well-being of our community and to our ability to provide a stable, productive educational environment."

Folt's statement added, "No one learns at their best when they feel unsafe."

Harry Smith, chairman of the Board of Governors, told the News & Observer on Tuesday, "We feel strongly that it's probably in the best interest to go ahead and allow a change in leadership so we can move to a healing process…[and] allow the institution to move forward. So that's why we compressed the timeline." He called the deconstruction "a draconian action."

He said the decision to quicken her departure is not a punishment for Folt. However, on Monday, before the decision was made, Smith said Folt's announcement "undermines and insults the Board's goal to operate with class and dignity."

For its part, the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees issued a statement backing Folt's decision on Monday, stating, "The chancellor has ultimate authority over campus public safety, and we agree Chancellor Folt is acting properly to preserve campus security."

The Board of Trustees advises the Board of Governors about UNC-Chapel Hill, one member of the statewide University of North Carolina system that the Board of Governors oversees. The Board of Trustees includes the UNC-Chapel Hill student president, four appointees of the General Assembly and eight appointees of the Board of Governors.

"Carolina has been well served by its 11th chancellor. We will continue to work closely with Chancellor Folt and the UNC System to ensure a smooth leadership transition," the Board of Trustees wrote.

Governor Roy Cooper weighed in Tuesday morning with a vote of confidence for Folt, stating, "I appreciate the Chancellor's actions to keep students and the public safe. North Carolina is welcoming to all, and our public university should reflect that."

In a campus-wide email addressing the situation, Folt bade students, faculty and staff a bittersweet goodbye. "While I recognize that some may not agree with my decision to remove the base and tablets now," she wrote, "I am confident this is the right one for our community."

"Carolina is better positioned than ever to be the 'university of and for the people,'" said Folt, referencing the country's oldest university's mission. "I believe Carolina's next chancellor will be well placed to build on our momentum."

At 8 PM Tuesday, nearly 100 students and activists converged in celebration on Franklin Street's Peace and Justice Plaza, across from Sam's former site, for music, food and speakers. Those present included Carrboro–Chapel Hill NAACP Chapter President Anna Richards and UNC Assistant Professor Dwayne Dixon. Dixon made headlines in November 2018 when a right-wing blogger filed assault charges against him after an altercation at a counter-protest in McCorkle Place. The charges were later dropped.

In 2015, the North Carolina Historical Commission was granted oversight of requested monument relocation by the General Assembly, giving 11 professional and amateur historians the final say on the fate of all statues and memorials located public property.

The Board of Trustees, however, have supported Folt's unilateral decision as made on firm legal grounds as the 2015 law stipulates a public safety exception. They agree with Folt's words: "Nothing is more important than keeping our campus community and visitors as safe as possible."

William Roper, who became the interim UNC system president on January 1, is beginning the search for an interim chancellor replacing Folt, according to Board of Governors chairman Harry Smith.