How sad for the editors of the Virginia Gazette. There was nothing about the Wren Chapel cross that they could sensationalize this morning, so there was nothing on the front page. The only thing that could be reported was the quiet, deliberative discussion that the College's Board of Visitors had on the issue, and so they buried that story way back on page 20.

It seems to me that nearly all of the emotion over the cross is media-driven. Since the Board of Visitors didn't decide to reverse President Gene Nichol's policy (that would have generated a huge-type headline in the Gazette!), perhaps the hysteria will die down, and there can be a constructive conversation in the College community on the role of religion in the life of a public university.

To this point, the College of William and Mary has seen campus ministries to be partners in the work of caring for students. A member of the Student Affairs office regularly attends the semi-monthly meetings of Campus Ministries United (CaMU). CaMU has at least one conversation each year with the Counseling Center staff and with the President. Last year we met with the campus Chief of Police and with the Director of the student health center. At the request of the Vice President for Student Affairs, campus ministers are on call for emergencies. The College even releases to the ministries the names of incoming students who indicate a religious preference, so we can send them letters of invitation. Very few universities and colleges do that. The College of William and Mary is certainly not a godless place!