By Katherine Burgess
Managing Editor
When I heard that David Dockery, university president, was to transition into the role of chancellor, I felt immediate apprehension. By the time of his transition, Dockery will have led Union for more than 18 years, during which the university has thrived.
He has sought to bring unity to Southern Baptists, racial reconciliation to the church and transformation to a campus devastated by the 2008 tornado.
When Dockery spoke at Student Senate March 20, he said he does not take the invitation to speak to students in their own setting for granted.
We, the students, should not take Dockery’s involvement with Senate for granted, either.
Many university presidents would not take time out of their schedules to speak to SGA, yet Dockery does so each semester.
As a C&C staff member, I also feel trepidation in that the new president may not interact with the newspaper as Dockery has.
Dockery has always made himself available to staff members for interviews. For one story, he wrote more than 3,000 words in response to my queries — not a quick task.
He also has met with the staff so that we could have discussions about the role of the paper or specific issues facing the university.
Dockery also has allowed the newspaper to actually work as it should, giving us freedom to cover stories without censoring articles or asking us to do public relations.
Instead, Dockery trusts us to write as responsible journalists. Not every university allows the campus newspaper to function with the freedom it should have.
According to the Student Press Law Center’s website, some administrators on private campuses “routinely censor” student-run media. I have never seen such control at Union.
That trust is something I and the rest of the C&C staff value, and something that compels me to approach all stories with care.
So it does worry me to think that Dockery will not be the person handing me my diploma when I cross the stage in two years.
However, I hope the new president will continue to respect and trust the C&C, will continue to attend Senate once a semester and will continue to seek unity among Christians. It also is exciting to think that a new president can bring progress to the university.
Norm Hill, chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee, also spoke during the March 20 Senate.
His words about how the search committee is prayerfully approaching the search allayed some of my fears. I expect the committee will take great care in selecting a new president.
Also encouraging were Hill’s words about how students can participate.
The search committee wants students to lead in prayer and fasting for a new president. An online calendar has been created for students to sign up to do so.
Finding a new president who can lead as Dockery has will not be an easy task. I hope the student body will join in fasting and praying that God will bring the right person to guide the university forward.
Katherine Burgess is a sophomore journalism major.
