Will keep institute named in his honor
Ball State University is standing by “Papa John,” saying his use of the n-word was in the context of learning how to combat racism and the entrepreneur has profusely apologized for his mistake.
The public institution’s board of trustees announced they would back the embattled pizza chain founder after other schools made it clear they would not.
The university will maintain support of the John H. Schnatter Institute for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise, which was created in 2016 by a joint $3.25 million dollar grant from Schnatter and the Charles Koch Foundation, The Star Press reported.
Schnatter, the founder of Papa John’s, a prominent pizza chain, resigned as chairman after using a racial slur during a conference call in May. He was also in the midst of allegations of sexual harassment and a toxic workplace culture at the company.
After his resignation, colleges that had previously been connected with Schnatter began to back away from their relationships. Purdue University recently announced it would rename a building named after Schnatter and offered to return an $8 million donation his foundation made to the school.
The University of Louisville announced the renaming of the school’s football stadium shortly after Schnatter stepped down from the university’s board of trustees. The University of Kentucky and Morehouse College both also publicly cut ties with Schnatter and his company.
Under pressure to end Ball State’s relationship with Schnatter and his company, the board of trustees decided not to. The board released a full statement explaining their decision. It read, in part:
Higher education plays a unique role in the support of free speech and the exchange of ideas that lead to better understanding. In that pursuit, it does not mandate perfection. The language used by John was insensitive and painful to others, making a review of context appropriate.
To such end, we have the following understanding of John’s comments. They were made in a private meeting with consultants, from which he was seeking advice as to how to communicate in a way that would be less offensive to others. In the course of the conversation, he recited his understanding of another’s use of the “N word”. He did so not in a derogatory manner seeking to demean any individuals or groups; rather it was used as an example of improper conduct.
John has acknowledged, notwithstanding his intentions, that his use of the word was inappropriate. His response was to promptly issue an apology and unequivocally denounce racism. He has reaffirmed those views to us personally, and such sentiment is consistent with Ball State’s values.
In our experience with John, he has never expressed racist views. He has demonstrated himself to be an individual who is very appreciative of his fortunate situation and cares deeply about creating an environment in which all enterprising individuals have the opportunity to succeed. With such perspective, John has generously shared his blessings through his contributions to universities and other philanthropic activities.
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