What's in a Name?

In this case, set at a fictional liberal arts college, a group of administrators and students on the Committee on Historical Memory meet to discuss their institution’s approach to renaming. The previous academic year, the college released a report detailing its namesake’s connections to slavery and renamed the central administration building. However, some students are now calling for further action—including renaming the school itself. College affiliates are divided, and administrators must weigh what to do next. 

What responsibilities do universities have to reconsider whom they memorialize? How should they weigh different stakeholder perspectives? How might different approaches to naming promote or impede belonging on campus?

• After reviewing 3,800 buildings for their connections to controversial figures, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents decided not to pursue name changes. Learn more about that decision (redirect). 
• To explore why some institutions can shift their stance on renaming over time, see these pieces from Princeton University: 
  • Princeton Will Keep Woodrow Wilson’s Name on Building Despite Controversy (redirect)
  • Princeton Renames Wilson School and Residential College, Citing Former President’s Racism (redirect).
• Many universities have considered renaming buildings on their campuses. Learn more about the policies and procedures that different institutions use when trying to determine whether renaming is the right step (redirect).
• In 2025, Harvard College decided not to rename an undergraduate dorm named for John Winthrop, a colonial governor who supported slavery:
  • Explore why Harvard students petitioned to dename Winthrop House in 2023 (redirect). 
  • Read about Harvard’s decision to maintain the Winthrop House name while adding historical context to the building (redirect). 
• A research study compared renaming policies and their representation metrics across the US and Canada (redirect). See how different regions compare. 
• In Toronto, Canada, Ryerson University changed its name to Toronto Metropolitan University (redirect) due to the founder’s connection to the residential schools where the government sent Aboriginal children after forcibly removing them from their families.