Eastern’s Naming Committee will meet at noon Wednesday to discuss potential new names for Douglas Hall.

In the committee’s last meeting, members had received a list of recommendations from University President David Glassman to vet candidates for the building, according to the internal governing policy that sets guidelines for naming university property.

The policy, IGP 148, cites six guidelines to consider when naming university property:

1. Personal, place or functional names may be recommended for facilities.
2. The recommended name shall be logical in terms of the function of the facility.
3. The recommended name shall have some significance to and meaning for constituencies served by the facility and/or significance to and meaning for the University as a whole.
4. The recommended name shall be consistent with the guidelines provided in the Board of Trustees Regulations cited above.
5. There shall be a relationship between the magnitude of the contribution of that person to the University and the facility–i.e., major building names should be reserved for those individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement and welfare of the institution.
6. At least two years shall pass after the employee’s termination of regular employment, retirement, or death before consideration is given to naming a facility for that individual.

During the meeting Thursday, the committee will use those guidelines to consider the following candidates former Illinois Governor Edward Coles, former student athlete and Tuskegee Airman Major Charles B. Hall, former University President Louis V. Hencken, community members who assisted students with housing Ona and Kenneth Norton, Eastern’s first Black student Zella Powell and former life sciences professor and Director of Afro-American Studies William Ridgeway, as well as to review Lincoln-Douglas Debate Hall and Lincoln-Douglas Debate Memorial Towers (Liberty Hall and Justice Hall) as potential options.

Hencken, the only individual being considered who is still alive, has requested his name be removed from consideration, but it is unclear how the committee will proceed with this change.
The committee will meet at the Neal Welcome Center.

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