Bob Collins
Garrison Keillor has been erased from the University of Minnesota’s “Scholar’s Walk,” a tribute to famous alumni.
The Minnesota Daily says the plaque was removed after Keillor, a 1966 grad, was accused of sexual misconduct late last year.
The Daily’s article suggests no one wants to talk about the decision.
When asked for more information on the decision, a University spokesperson deferred comment to a company based in McNamara Alumni Center that manages Scholars Walk. When reached for comment, the company deferred comment to a University spokesperson.
A company spokesman told the Star Tribune, however, the plaque came down in mid-January.
“I was never a scholar. The plaque was an embarrassment,” Keillor told the Star Tribune in an email. “I’m a writer. We don’t need plaques, we have books.”
Keillor’s work on the MPR website disappeared after the allegations. American Public Media said Keillor owned the rights to the work.
[Update 3:40 p.m.]
University statement:
The Scholars Walk and the Wall of Discovery were developed as a tribute to notable scientific, scholarly and creative discoveries by notable members of the University community. The panels were designed to be rotated on a regular basis in order to keep the gallery dynamic and highlight a larger group of individuals over time.
The Scholars Walk and the Wall of Discovery are reviewed regularly. On Friday, January 19, 2018, five panels were updated to feature a fresh set of distinguished members of the University community.
The panels featuring Walter Brattain, William D. Kelly, Garrison Keillor, Ernest O. Lawrence and Norman Shumway were replaced and reconfigured to include representations of 13 members of the University community, from Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey to Minnesota Lynx player Lindsay Whalen.
The University works with the Gateway Corporation to determine Scholars Walk panel content and timing on panel rotations, taking a variety of factors into consideration, including whether the person meets the standards the University holds for members of its community.
