On an earlier announcement, Yale University has decided to maintain Calhoun College's name despite student rallies and a recent smashing of a windowglass in the building. But this Monday a new breeze had taken over and the Ivy League is now reconsidering its decision.
According to The New York Times, Calhoun College's name has long been questioned but the call to change its name only gained footing last fall when an online petition rallying for it managed to collect 1,500 signatures. John C. Calhoun is a white supremacist and a stauch supporter of slavery, describing it as "a positive good."
Yale University President Mr. Salovey defended the decision saying that a university is an avenue for "tough conversations" to arise. Changing the name of Calhoun College would just hide Yale's past and would close doors for intellectual discourses.
Nonetheless, three months after, Yale Universty has just announced that it will form a new committee which might decide to keep or not the college's name. As per Inside Higher Ed, Salovey said a panel would be appointed to establish principles for consideration when renaming campus buildings.
“In recent months, many faculty, students, alumni and staff have raised significant and moving concerns about that decision, and it is now clear to me that the communitywide conversation about these issues could have drawn more effectively on campus expertise. In particular, we would have benefited from a set of well-articulated guiding principles according to which historical name might be removed or changed. After these principles have been articulated and disseminated, we will be able to hold any requests for the removal of a historical name -- including that of John C. Calhoun -- up to them," Salovey said as quoted by Inside Higher Ed.
As per Parent Herald, Calhoun College also became the subject of media spectacle when a black dishwasher smashed one of its windowpanes depicting slavery. The dishwasher has since resigned but is talking with the school board for his possible reemployment.
Other changes to the university were also announced by Salovey. To diversify Yale University's faculty, slots would be added and lectures focused on diversity, criminal justice, education and the like would be offered. Promoting the university's history would also be one of the priorities of the administration (via Inside Higher Ed).
Are you for the changes that Yale University would impose on the coming months or do you think there's nothing wrong with the current system? Do you think it's a good idea to reconsider the decision on Calhoun College's name change? Comment your thoughts below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.
