Student Voices at Bryan College

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DAYTON, Tenn. — There were no picket lines. No bullhorns. No public rally.

But signs of resistance were seen all over Bryan College’s campus on Monday, when students took to the hallways, cafeteria and even chapel service to voice their displeasure with the college administration.

They wrote notes to members of the board of trustees.

They signed petitions — again.

And they took to social media to make it known that things at Bryan are not “solid,” as recently described by President Stephen Livesay.

“We want to be heard as students,” said Robin Harrison, a junior biology major who helped organize Monday’s events.

The issues have simmered for months on campus, but the fallout is beginning to emerge, especially among students.

The last two weeks have brought issues to a head. Students were outraged at mounting faculty losses, most recently the firing of two longtime professors. That, along with Livesay’s comments in a Times Free Press story downplaying the drama on Bryan Hill, were cited as the impetus for Monday’s efforts by students.

At least nine of 44 full-time professors — more than 20 percent — won’t return to Bryan in the fall. Those instructors are leaving for a variety of reasons, though several of the departures are directly linked to Livesay’s leadership or the clarification issue.