PEC Update, September 21, 2007

We are pleased to be able to tell you that the Supreme Court of Virginia has decided to hear both appeals – the student contract case and the charitable trust case. This is the first critical step in our ability to win our college back and we are gratified that our hard work and your perseverance and generosity have brought us to this point.

We all know how long the legal process has taken so far and the appeals are no different. Although the Court has combined the two cases for the purposes of oral arguments and filing, it could be up to three months before the cases are briefed and ready for oral argument. Here is a brief description of the appeal process. First we must file opening briefs with the Court within the next 40 days. Then the College will have 25 days to file their briefs – we then have 14 days to file reply briefs. At that point oral arguments will be scheduled.

This is a milestone that we have all earned the right to celebrate. If we win the appeal, we will return to Lynchburg for our day in Court. We are only in the first stages of this process, but it is the best way to get our college back. (Although we will continue to encourage the Board of Trustees to reconsider their decision and allow us to help them restore R-MWC). As with all other court documents, the Supreme Court's orders granting the appeals are posted on the PEC website.

Art Intervention

As you know, we have agreed to support those who are attempting to intervene in the College's bid to sell artwork from the Maier Museum. The intervenors include relatives of Louise Jordan Smith, current art students, former faculty and museum staff members, art donors, alumnae and Lynchburg residents who believe that the College should not sell the Maier Museum's remarkable collection of American art to fund operating expenses. All of the documents from the filing (including all of the exhibits) can be found on our website and we encourage you to read them to better understand Miss Louise's intent when she set up her trust and how this world-class collection of American art ended up at a small college in Central Virginia. The Court will schedule a hearing on the Motion for Leave to Intervene shortly, and it should be argued sometime in the next few months.

Donations

With two cases now on appeal before the Supreme Court and one case in trial court, it would be remiss of us not to remind you of how you can make a donation to help fund these actions. Donations to PEC can be mailed to:

Preserve Educational Choice, Inc.
P.O. Box 29612
Richmond, VA 23242

If you would like to make a donation to help fund the art intervention, please send a donation to the PEC address above with a note on the check that it is for the "Art Defense Fund." These monies are being kept completely separate from the general fund – our ability to pursue the art intervention is dependent upon our ability to fund the work that must be done.

PEC Board for 2007-2008

We are pleased to announce the new Board and officers for PEC for the 2007-2008 year. We have one new Board member – Madeline E. Miller '66. Madeline served as a trustee of R-MWC from 1978-1992 and 1993-1998 and was President of the Board of Trustees from 1987-1992. We are grateful for the deep institutional knowledge and passion for R-MWC that Madeline brings to the PEC Board.

We want to thank Gail Ballou '64, who served the remainder of Ellen Reid Smith's term as president of PEC's Board, and Martha McClerkin Durnett '85, who ably served as PEC's first Board treasurer, for their service during the past year. While both still actively support PEC's mission to restore Randolph-Macon Woman's College, professional obligations have meant that they can no longer serve on our very active Board.

Finally, we are pleased to announce that Diane Montgomery, PEC's founder, will be serving as President of the PEC Board this year. We are delighted that she has agreed to serve in this leadership role as our legal challenges to the actions of the R-MWC Board of Trustees continues into a second year.

Board of Directors and Officers 2007-2008

President: Diane U. Montgomery '85
Treasurer: Carol Curcio Lang '68
Secretary: Anne Yastremski '05
Madeline Miller '66
Chantel Sheaks '91

Anne Yastremski continues to serve as PEC's Executive Director, responsible for the day-to-day operations of PEC, community engagement and development, media relations, and other activities.

As always, we will keep you updated on the progress of the two appeals before the Supreme Court of Virginia as well as further actions by the Randolph College Board of Trustees to sell the art at the Maier Museum. Recent articles about the college, including articles from the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Washington Times can be found on the PEC website in the "Press" section.

Please continue to write letters to the editor, letters to the trustees, letters to the new president, and letters to faculty - keep up the pressure. Let the trustees know that you still care about Randolph-Macon Woman's College and that you are willing and able to support the woman's college if only given the opportunity to do so. Let everyone know that the future of the college at 2500 Rivermont is dependent upon fully engaged alumnae. Randolph College doesn't have any alumni, but if R-MWC's alumnae get our woman's college back we will bring our talents and gifts to bear on behalf of our alma mater.

Vita Abundantior,

PEC Board

Diane U. Montgomery (R-MWC '85)
Carol Curcio Lang (R-MWC '68)
Anne Yastremski (R-MWC '05)
Madeline Miller (R-MWC '66)
Chantel Sheaks (R-MWC '91)

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