Duke University President Vincent Price ordered the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee at the entrance of Duke Chapel.
The order comes after the statue was vandalized Thursday.
"I took this course of action to protect Duke Chapel, to ensure the vital safety of students and community members who worship there, and above all to express the deep and abiding values of our university," Price said in a statement released Saturday.
He said the statue will be preserved so "students can study Duke’s complex past and take part in a more inclusive future."
The president will create a commission of students, alumni, faculty, staff, trustees and members of the Durham community, to advise the university on its next steps.
"The commission will look at how we memorialize individuals on the Duke campus in buildings and sculpture and recommend principles drawn from Duke’s core values to guide us when questions arise," Price said.
