Perhaps you are unaware, but University Chapel is on the National Register of Historical Places. It covers individual buildings. There are other buildings on the campus that are also on the NRHP, and it is governed by the NPS and the Virginia State Historic Preservation Department (SHIPO).
There’s no need for another chapel. The school does not have a religious affiliation, and there are ample choices of religious establishments for practitioners of various faiths in Lexington itself.
Believe it or not, there are reputable colleges where student views get tested by their classmates all the time. And, I agree that there is a certain value in that sort of constant give-and-take. But I wonder if that is what you really mean because I have heard nothing but complaints about it when it is conservatives who are on the other end of the “testing”. We can thank @mtmind for his persistence in providing perspectives from current students who are not conservatives at W&L and what it is like for them.
You misunderstood what I am saying. I am not suggesting that Lee Chapel be demolished. I am suggesting that, if the college feels there is a need for a building where students and faculty can gather for the kinds of non-sectarian, or inter-denominatinal, or rotating spiritual gatherings that are common on other college campuses, that it stop using a mausoleum for doing so.
They have several of those already, and the school is building a wall to separate the graves and the sarcophagus/statue/whatever pictured above from the stage and seating area. This type of construction takes time. There has been significant pushback and argument about this particular board decision, but they are moving ahead with it.
Also, what’s a nonsectarian spiritual gathering? If they do those now, that’s new. I’m not aware of any of similar type of event in University Chapel or at W&L for that matter. When I was a student, I attended a parish a town, as did many of my classmates and professors.
The graves are irrelevant. The school just needs to stop forcing kids to attend activities and ceremonies in this single building. Why is that so impossible to do?
Just to be clear, if you or anyone else is uncomfortable with the historic buildings on campus, their construction, or any whole community traditions on campus, then W&L is probably not the right choice for you and your students, and that’s okay. Every school is not for every person, especially private schools. Most colleges and universities do not have NPS designations on any part of their property.
The place was originally called the college chapel. Now it has again reverted to close to its original name, which seems fine. If I were the family, I think I might wish my family’s remains be relocated to a quiet and less controversial spot where it was of interest solely to family members, as it should be, so I think they should be presented with that option, rather than have it remain a continuing source of protests, and potential vandalism over a loved ones’ graves. I am sorry if this horrifies people, but moving burial sites is not that uncommon and can be accomplished in a respectful and religious manner.
It is uncommon on NPS sites or other officially historic sites, at least in the mid Atlantic region. I don’t know about other regions.
I’d love to give you examples, but it is probably off-topic. 
There’s nothing unique about having a National Park Service designation or a National Registry of Historic Places designation on the East Coast.
I spent some time reading the main W&L student newspaper this morning and read about this outside group that apparently does an event in Lexington on MKL weekend that is offensive to many people. They use the term Lee-Jackson Day. W&L has no affiliation to this group and they don’t rent space to this group.
There is an event like this near where I live, too, that same weekend. I only notice it because it’s across the street from the grocery store. It’s easier to avoid here because the group does it in a park-and-ride parking lot and it can’t be seen from the main road. The other people who live and work here are always relieved when they leave. I don’t even live in the south, but the description I read in the story sounds similar to this event.
I agree that these groups are annoying and can be scary if they get out of hand, but they don’t look like anything that should concern students or people who are interested in the school itself. Political rallies are just a way for bored people to entertain themselves. If there’s a town in the nation that never has them, let me know. I’ll look at homes there!
The problem is this: It’s difficult enough to get people who’ve spent their entire lives growing up in or near big cities to consider attending a small LAC in a rural part of the country. Try adding even the possibility that the college is surrounded by KKK members and it becomes a very tough sell.
The young journalist who wrote the article I read said that the cars of the people attending the event are from out-of-state. You are the one using the KKK name. The person who wrote the article did not name the group.
Please, share what laws you can use to limit outside groups from demonstrating or holding rallies in your neighborhood or town. I’m assuming you’re in the US.
My DS toured another LAC that he also liked and saw far more confederate flag stickers on cars in that area than we saw in Lexington on our tour there. This isn’t a Lexington-specific issue and the colleges can’t control the people who live in the surrounding neighborhoods or the tourists in the area.
Two thoughts:
You can’t deny their right to exercise their First Amendment rights.
You can’t minimize or normalize their message.
You also shouldn’t amplify them by drawing attention to their activities online or elsewhere, or making false associations.
Well, we’re just going to have to agree to disagree on that one!
I don’t believe in making false associations.
Racist hate groups also protest in Charlottesville but no one here seems to be holding it against UVA.
I visited W and L and know a decent number of current students and alumni. My student goes to a very liberal private school and we live in a majority minority city. I was comfortable sending her to W and L but she chose a different larger southern school. We know students who are politically liberal who attend as well as some who are politically conservative, none are racist.
I can’t speak to how the school feels to a minority student, I don’t think anyone on this thread has first hand experience. For those prospective students in such a position, speaking directly with current and past students would be more productive than reading this thread which seems to still be much more of political debate than anything else.
UVA and Amherst and virtually any other college but W&L were designated off-topic very early in the thread.
There have been plenty of links to first-hand accounts by recent graduates throughout this thread. Credit also goes to the OP who claims “affinity” identity of some sort.
Out of curiosity, have you ever been to the campus?
Written accounts are fine but can be taken out of context. Conversations with give and take are usually more productive.
In the wake of Black Lives Matter, we have learned that even at our very left leaning private school, there are many ways in which black students feel the environment is not as welcoming or egalitarian as it should be. It is something most educational institutions are struggling to remedy right now.
I have absolutely no doubt that you are sincere in that belief. Unfortunately, College Confidential is not a very discussion friendly platform 
.