Say What?
A slur at Roger Williams University leads to a lesson in accountability.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

RALPH R. PAPITTO was the longtime chairman of the board of trustees of Roger Williams University, a private liberal arts school in Bristol, R.I. He also had been a major benefactor of the institution, to the tune of at least $7 million. Mr. Papitto's name graces the law school, the only one in the state. But a colossal case of foot-in-mouth disease unraveled all that goodwill.

At a May meeting, the all-white board of trustees, which consisted of 14 men and two women, was discussing how to diversify its membership. According to one trustee present, Mr. Papitto didn't take kindly to pressure to add people of color and used a vile epithet to refer to black candidates. In no time, there were protests, calls for his resignation and demands for the removal of his name from the law school.

Mr. Papitto said that one of the most vulgar and hurtful words in the English language "kind of slipped out." He also said, "The first time I heard it was on television and then rap music or something," conjuring an unlikely image of Mr. Papitto, who is 80, kicking back to a little Snoop Dogg or Busta Rhymes. "I apologized for that," Mr. Papitto told a local radio station. "What else can I do? Kill myself?" No. But he did do something honorable. After issuing a statement taking "full responsibility for this matter," he asked that his name be removed from the Ralph R. Papitto Law School. Mr. Papitto told us through a spokesman that this was "an incredibly painful decision." He added that he hasn't made a decision on whether he will fulfill his outstanding financial pledges to the school.

If Roger Williams University is casting about for a new name for its law school, may we suggest that it be called -- drumroll, please -- the Roger Williams University Law School. Not only was Roger Williams the founder of Rhode Island, but he established the first settlement, at Providence, "based on a principle of equality." The law school that would bear his name could use the image boost such an association would provide.