White supremacists, members of the far right, and various other extremist figures have made a point of staging provocations on college campuses across the country. In doing so, they thrust institutions into political discord — and, in some cases, violence.
What can college leaders do? Most officials say it’s not their role to block speech, but keeping their campuses free from violence and hatred is a paramount concern. Here is a collection of Chronicle articles documenting the challenges posed by the far right’s growing presence on campus.
-
Campus SafetyAuditors Reviewed How UVa’s Police Prepared for White Supremacists. They Didn’t Like What They Found.
The “seeming paralysis of police” at a Friday-night march in August on the campus “undoubtedly encouraged” violence at a rally that turned deadly the following day, a report concludes. -
Campus Speech
What Some Colleges Have Learned From Hosting Controversial Speakers
Top academic and student-affairs officials who have handled appearances by Milo Yiannopoulos and others shared lessons at a meeting held by the Council of Independent Colleges. -
News
How U. of Florida’s Students and Faculty Are Preparing for Richard Spencer
With the prominent white supremacist arriving on the campus on Thursday, people there are feeling particularly nervous. -
Administration
Why Did UVa Allow Banned Torches During White-Supremacist Rally?
The university has a rule against open flames on campus. A Virginia law forbids using fire to intimidate. Neither was enforced. -
From the Archives
At UVa, in the Wake of a Nightmare, a Reckoning Begins
How much will one traumatic weekend change the university? Many of the students, professors, and officials who are trying to answer that question are doing so by looking to the past. -
Violence in Virginia
At UVa, a Clash Over Whether to Stand Back or Stand Up
Seeking the safest course, administrators hoped that professors, students, and alumni would steer clear of the white nationalists’ march. But some felt duty-bound to confront what they saw as evil. -
News
How One White Nationalist Became — and Remains — a Thorn in Texas A&M’s Side
Preston Wiginton doesn’t have an especially strong connection to the university: He dropped out after taking classes for a year. But he’s made it his mission to force extreme racial politics upon College Station. -
Administration
As Support Grows for Ditching Confederate Statues, Colleges Weigh Their Options
Institutions face smoldering tensions in the wake of the deadly rioting in Charlottesville, Va. -
Administration
UVa Employee Suffers a Stroke After Campus Clash With White Supremacists
If Tyler Magill’s condition is linked to the violence at a Friday march, it could raise further questions about the university’s approach to securing its campus. -
Reckoning With History
For UVa, Racist Rally Dredges Up Uncomfortable Legacies
President Trump tried redirecting a national conversation about white supremacists to a debate over a statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Va. That memorial has connections to UVa. -
Reckoning With History
The KKK Once Gave UVa $1,000. These Professors Want the University to Admit It.
As the University of Virginia grappled with the issue of white supremacists who stormed the campus this past weekend, administrators faced another problem: their institution’s historical ties to the Ku Klux Klan. -
Leadership
Did UVa Miss Signs of Looming Violence?
Professors and activists say university officials failed to spot indications of a melee in the making, leaving students vulnerable. -
News
Charlottesville Violence Sparks New Worries About Safety During Campus Protests
Texas A&M University canceled an outsider’s planned “White Lives Matter” event as experts warned colleges to be prepared for violence like what occurred this past weekend in Virginia. -
News
Why Universities Are Unlikely to Heed Calls for Punishing Students at Rally
After internet sleuths identified some participants in a white-nationalist rally as students, calls poured in for their colleges to expel them or take other disciplinary action. Colleges’ options, however, are limited. -
The Chronicle Review
For Moral Clarity, Don’t Look to Universities
As the hate on display in Charlottesville made clear, scholarly practices and virtues cannot impart comprehensive visions of the good. They are, however, essential in another way. -
The Chronicle Review
What to Do With a Man on Horseback
Don’t remove problematic statues, like that of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville. Challenge them, in the service of history. -
News
Beyond a President’s Worst Fears, a Mob With Torches Arrived
“Violence was no longer hypothetical,” Teresa Sullivan says as she recounts the events of Friday night, when a large throng of white-supremacist protesters pushed through UVa’s campus. -
Leadership
When White Supremacists Descend, What Can a College President Do?
The chaos in Charlottesville, Va., this weekend added a dangerous element to what was already expected to be a contentious climate when students return to college this fall. -
Campus Speech
An Anti-Hate Group Has This Advice for When the Alt-Right Comes to Campus
The Southern Poverty Law Center lays out some strategies for student activists who want to oppose speakers with racist views but avoid a spectacle on their campuses. -
Hate on Campus
How Can Colleges Respond to Extremist Activity Among Students?
The University of Maryland student who was charged with fatally stabbing Richard Collins III last week followed a far-right, racist Facebook page. But when it comes to speech and expression, there are limits on what officials can do. -
Backgrounder
In Renting Out Space, Do Colleges Invite Trouble?
In 2017 two universities got unwelcome visits from a prominent white supremacist as a result of policies that let outsiders stage events on campus. -
Leadership
When an Internet Troll Is Invited to Speak, a College President Is Challenged
Ana Mari Cauce, president of the University of Washington, faced criticism after declining to block Milo Yiannopoulos from her campus. She talks to The Chronicle about free speech, tolerance, and student safety. -
The Chronicle Interview
The Far Right’s ‘New Offensive Against Academia’
George Ciccariello-Maher, the Drexel University professor who caused a furor by tweeting “All I Want for Christmas is White Genocide,” says academe must brace for the fight of its life. -
Campus Speech
A White Supremacist Comes to Auburn
Richard Spencer brought his defense of the alt-right movement to the Alabama institution on Tuesday, against the wishes of university leaders.
