Analytical Essay: Rough Draft

As the events of the ouster and reinstatement of President Teresa Sullivan unfolded this past June, the predominant feeling I had towards the events was helplessness. Being in New York City for a summer internship, all I could really do about anything was read the articles–which all seemed to be as questioning and confused as I was–and hope for the best. For a university that has so many meritorious aspects, I was saddened by the reason that my school was making national news, and I felt personally insulted by the negative news coverage aimed at Charlottesville. The events that this course is focusing on are so important in my mind because they compromised the spirit of honor and tradition that underlies everything we do here at the University of Virginia. In a clash of two entities that we as students instill our trust and confidence into–the Office of the President and the Board of Visitors–I began to question what the “Community of Trust” that we all hold ourselves and each other up to really meant. I didn’t have a staunch position on the issue, and it made me feel like a bad member of the U.Va. community. But really, it was because I was so confused by and distant from everything that was happening–I was not sure who to trust, and why I should or should not.

This course is the beginning of my answer to the questions presented to me by the ouster and reinstatement. By becoming as informed as I can about the issue by inserting myself into process of making the history that will be in place for the future, I hope to come to peace in acquiring a personal standard of truth on the issue. In a University that is so strongly ruled by personal ethics rooted in deep tradition, standards of honesty and trust, and an undying standard of excellence, I am honored to be a part of a course that will truly allow me to make a difference, and to leave clarification and enlightenment for future generations of students at this special place, so they can look backwards on the mistakes and disagreements made while I was lucky enough to call myself a student, and work even harder to further the values of justice, honor, and honesty on these beloved Grounds.

As for a relation to greater social issues, what I would like to say for now is that humans are more accountable to each other and ourselves than may meet the eye. We are capable of making each other better by bettering ourselves. And if we as novice oral historians can work together to create a project worth consuming to make a future University of Virginia community better and more responsible with the amazing amount of self-governance and freedom that comes to us by keeping the Community of Trust intact, then we will have done a concrete good. In addition, my Fourth Year mindset cannot help but take hold as I think about life after The University. If I have worked to preserve honor, accountability, and respect in this community, I am sure that I will be a better, more productive member of society after graduation for having done so.

So far, the biggest stand out in the course has been the different motivations and inspirations of the students in the group. It is so refreshing to see a group of people who are all dedicated to working towards a common cause, but are intelligent and open-minded enough to respect others’ opinions and approaches to the situations we will be facing as well. It is such a welcome contrast to the way that so many academic projects I have worked on have been compiled. Different perspectives often make for the most interesting projects, so I am extremely pleased to see a diversity of interests and backgrounds in the students in our class.

The concepts that have resonated most deeply with me from the class materials thus far are the ones presented in Studs Terkel’s piece, with his evoking the image of needing daily bread as well as daily meaning being particularly striking. The balance that he presents between practicality and enjoyment, between a process and a journey, are some of the most important values that guide my daily life. When one achieves a balance of this sort, motivations are aligned with actions, and actions then become aligned with results, and for the most part, there is an agreement present in the way one intends for things to go and the way things, in fact, go. However, life cannot be calculated, not even the life of an individual. Hence, maintaining equilibrium and harmony in the life of an institution so large and dynamic as the University of Virginia certainly presents an uneasy task. However, that is why there are many layers of governance involved–to act as checks on one another and keep everyone on the same page, working towards the same goals. These layers of governance were simply not aligned this past summer.

I want nothing more than for the environment of honor, tradition, dignity, and respect at the University of Virginia to thrive. In every way possible, I buy into this institution. ”I’ve drunk the Kool-Aid,” if you will. Every sappy tradition, I have done it. I have venerated Mr. Jefferson with the best of them. I have lost my voice autumn weekend after autumn weekend in Scott Stadium screaming the words to every nonsensical football chant, and cried my eyes out to the Good Old Song on game-winning plays. Every eloquent word written or articulated on how wonderful this university is, I have read it or listened, I believe it, and I actively work to integrate it into my daily life. This beautiful, special place has given so much to me in the past three years, and I cannot believe that I am coming to the end of my time as an undergraduate here. In so many ways, it has paid forward more than I could ever give back. But regardless of how perpetually indebted I will be to The University, I can certainly try to work for its benefit in any way I can. And I think that, with the work I will be producing in this course, I have found the perfect place to start.

DMU Timestamp: September 14, 2012 19:31