Editor’s note: The Alexandria Town Talk’s Leigh Guidry wrote this story in which she attempts to present both sides of the on going controversy at Louisiana College. The Town Talk has given the Message permission to reprint the article.
PINEVILLE – The controversy surrounding Louisiana College has stirred strong reactions from alumni and others connected to the private Baptist school in Pineville, flooding social media sites and inboxes of members of the Board of Trustees.
Although most alumni who have taken a public stand appear to be calling for board members to “restore” the college to its former state through a change in leadership and increase in transparency, LC President Joe Aguillard also has his supporters.
“Begin the process of rebuilding the school to its former greatness,” Trey Qualls, LC class of 2007, wrote. “There is simply no excuse for how the College has been run into the ground in the last nine years under (Aguillard’s) ‘leadership.’”
William David Ellis of Ben Wheeler, Texas, takes an opposite view. Ellis wrote on Facebook that the laying off of some employees after Aguillard began his tenure in 2005 was a way of addressing what Ellis called the school’s “history of liberal professors, who denied the supernatural, downplayed the miraculous, and arrogantly boasted in their intellectualism.”
“Joe Aguillard cleaned house,” Ellis wrote. “And was there collateral damage in the process? Yes. Were people hurt? Yes. Did he occasionally become heavy handed? Probably. But considering the deep-seated, spiritual corruption he faced and initially gutted, it was a small price to pay.”
Ellis’ post stated that Aguillard was “targeted for vengeance by arrogant liberals.” He said it might be time for Aguillard to leave the college but that Ellis appreciates what Aguillard has done at LC during his tenure.
“I appreciate and am eternally grateful to Joe for having the courage to stand toe to toe with entrenched intellectual arrogance and humble it,” Ellis wrote. “Well done, sir.”
Some members of Aguillard’s home church, Philadelphia Baptist Church in the Deville area, met Saturday, March 28, to pray for the college. Those present declined to comment for this story and asked that no pictures be taken.
The event was publicized through social media as well as fliers at the church building, but was not sponsored by the church. It originally was set to take place on the LC campus in Pineville but was moved to the church sanctuary.
“As Louisiana College battles this storm in their lives, we are taking a day out of our schedule to blanket the campus in prayer,” according to a Facebook event page. “THIS IS NOT A PROTEST! This is simply people getting together and praying that God will heal the school.”
Leon Hyatt, LC class of 1949, said in a phone interview that he regrets how public the controversy with the private school has become.
“I absolutely, deeply regret the controversy and conflict that has taken place at the college,” Hyatt said. “I especially regret that people felt like they needed to make it public. It should have been handled by Baptist channels and especially by the Louisiana College Board of Trustees.”
He added that he supports Aguillard, whom he has known since Aguillard was 8 years old.
“I personally and strongly support Dr. Aguillard,” Hyatt said. “I think he’s done marvelous things for the college. He’s made some serious mistakes that some people won’t forgive him for or find them (the mistakes) unworthy of a person in a high position of Christian leadership.”
Affecting finances
Some alumni’s lack of confidence in LC could be affecting its financial state, according to letters sent to The Town Talk.
“I have not given a dime to LC, nor will I … until something is done about the leadership,” Qualls wrote. “And for me that means removing Joe Aguillard. How many more alumni like me are there out there? Alienated. Embarrassed. And not supporting LC in any way, shape or form? Imagine what LC could become if you could get us all back on the same page.”
Debbie Merlan, LC class of 1978, wrote to the board out of “deepest concern and love” for her alma mater — a concern that caused her to halt her contributions.
“I have stopped any financial contributions until the President is removed,” Merlan wrote. “Also, I no longer recommend students attend LC.”
Titus K. Belgard, LC class of 1999, said he was proud to make financial donations to the English department and occasional book donations to the library after graduation, but that he later changed his mind.
“I have not and will not support Louisiana College financially or any other way until I am convinced a change – or I should say an improvement – of leadership has taken place,” Belgard wrote.
Belgard said some of his disappointment comes from the physical state of the campus, which he attributes to a failing on Aguillard’s part.
“Allowing the buildings around campus to fall down due to lack of repairs is not leadership,” Belgard wrote in his letter.
Beth Moore, LC class of 2002, wrote that she is heartbroken at the state of LC concerning the buildings and lack of transparency and information from the college.
“The buildings are falling apart,” Moore wrote. “There are lies around every corner.”
Belgard and others echoed Moore’s call for a release of information about the school.
“Non-transparency with regard to financial records is not leadership,” he wrote.
WANTS ‘REAL NUMBERS’
Kathy Hegwood Overturk, LC class of 1980, asked for specific information in her letter.
“I want to know the real numbers about enrollment, incoming students, endowments, capital improvements, the condition of the dorms and the general atmosphere on campus,” she wrote. “I was there last year and it was a sad remnant of the LC I remember and love.”
Fellow alumna Fritha S. Dinwiddie wrote that attempts to get information like this have not been as successful as she would like.
“We have tried to get answers about LC’s status directly from both Dr. Hankins and Dr. Aguillard but have received information that is limited and at times conflicts with publicly available data,” she writes.
In their letters, some asked not only for Aguillard’s removal as president of the college but also the revocation of Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director David Hankins’ voting rights on the LC Board of Trustees, which Larry J. Burgess included in his letter.
“Only then can you begin the task of healing the wounds this administration has caused and putting LC on the road to recovery,” wrote Burgess, LC class of 1977.