Dear UM students, faculty and staff,
This message is part of our continuing commitment to keep you apprised on the process to relocate the Confederate monument to a more suitable location on campus.
Since I last wrote you on Jan. 16, 2020, we have been working diligently on the progress report requested by the IHL Board regarding the recommendations of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Contextualization (CACHC), which included recommendations specific to the cemetery next to Tad Smith Coliseum. Once complete, we will provide the board with this report, which is required before we can re-submit our relocation proposal for future consideration. We’re committed to working with the board to accomplish our goal of relocating the monument.
On a related note, I want to express my personal sadness about the death of our colleague and friend, Dr. John Neff, Associate Professor of History and Director of The Center for Civil War Research. His sudden passing on Jan. 30 marks a tremendous loss to the university. He played an integral role in the work of the CACHC and the ongoing efforts involving the cemetery and our plan to relocate the monument. His loss will require some adjustments to maintain progress, but we remain committed to continuing this work in no small part to ensure that we honor his memory and dedication to this important matter for our university.
We pledge to keep you informed and provide further updates as this process continues.
