Breaking up is hard to do
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ISSUE: 11/29/07 > Opinions > Breaking up is hard to do
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Staff writer Abby Hollingsworth is a junior English writing major. |
I’ve never been in 56-year-long relationship, so I can’t speak from experience. I can, however, imagine that the end of any relationship of that magnitude would leave both parties feeling some sort of loss. As the buzz on campus ranges from relief to resentment at the university’s expensive split from its Baptist partner, the feelings of either party should not be forgotten. Regardless of your particular stance on the Belmont/TBC relationship, I think it is important to recognize the weight of this moment at its end.
Both sides frame the issue with terms of amiability, gifts and gratefulness. At first glance, this angle triggered my spin-detector. I’m tempted to think that everyone involved is simply putting on a smile to hide the resentful feelings that have been brooding for so long. Perhaps this has something to do with my suspicions that no break up in history has ever been genuinely mutual. Someone must be bottling up feelings. Both sides could not possibly be OK with this.
When I weigh the outcome of the split, however, it begins to seem more reasonable. Sure, Belmont is forking over $11 million over the next 40 years, but a loss in court would have cost us around $50 million more than that. The TBC may be losing the battle for control over our institution, but they couldn’t realistically have been expecting to hold the reins again, regardless of a court’s decision. The whole debacle may well have been a result of poor communication of expectations and consequences, a typical stumbling block in any relationship. Perhaps this end really is best for everyone involved. Belmont retains control of her Board of Trustees and continues contributing financially to causes she has always held in high regard. The dedicated members of the Tennessee Baptist Convention are relieved of their post as big, bad contract keepers and can get back to the business they are passionate about. This may actually be an answer to their prayers.
After months of bad blood and arguments akin to a vehement lovers’ quarrel, one can hear a collective sigh of relief as both sides agree to move forward on good terms. Personally, I see the settlement as a small step towards more clearly defining Belmont’s identity, though I won’t take credit for raising the issue so recently. One of my questions has at least been answered. As Board of Trust president Marty Dickens puts it: “The university will continue to be a student-focused, Christian community of learning and service with a rich Baptist heritage…” I truly respect the administration and the convention for finally bringing the controversy to an end, and I can only hope they go down in history as the first recorded amiable break up.
