Naming Committee discusses forums

Corryn Brock, News Editor

The Naming Committee met Wednesday morning and discussed upcoming forums the committee will host via Zoom.

Currently one forum is schedule with a time and date. A faculty forum will be hosted on March 24 and 3 p.m.

The committee is planning six other forums:

A Student Government, Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council forum led by committee member Mona Davenport

A Black Student Union, Latin American Student Organization and National Pan-Hellenic Council forum led by Davenport

A Douglas Hall Council and Resident Hall Association forum led by Ken Wetstein, ex-officio convener of the committee

A staff forum led by committee chair Angie Campbell

A student body forum led by Wetstein

A local community forum led by Wetstein

The forums are meant to help the committee collect information to make recommendation to University President David Glassman regarding the halls.

The main question the Naming Committee is seeking to answer is if the university should retain the name of Douglas Hall or change it, as well as if the university should continue to commemorate the Lincoln-Douglas debate that happened in Charleston in 1858.

The discussion to change the name of the hall comes after a decade-long debate in which some say the university should change the name due to Douglas’ racist ideals and beliefs while others say the university should keep the name because they would erase history by changing the name.

The committee is also working on a survey to go out to the various constituencies they have identified as individuals who should have the opportunity to speak on the matter. These groups include Eastern students, Eastern employees, Eastern alumni and those in the surrounding local community.

Those interested in speaking to a member of the committee can reach out to Don Holly (representing the Faculty Senate), Claudia Janssen-Danyi (representing the Council on Academic Affairs), Angie Campbell (committee chair and representative of the Staff Senate), Diane Burns (representing the Council of Chairs), Noor-ul-Haash Khamisani (representing the Student Senate), Carlos Amaya (presidential appointee), Mona Davenport (presidential appointee) or Ken Wetstein, Vice President of University Advancement and ex officio convener of the committee. 

The next committee meeting should be held March 17.

 

Corryn Brock can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected]