Building Committee discusses Jenkins name change
Participants from the President’s Office, Student Affairs, Native American Student Organization and more make up the Building Committee that will decide if Jenkins Hall will be renamed.
Marshall University President Jerry Gilbert created a Building Committee to meet and discuss the process of possibly renaming Jenkins Hall, which was named after Confederate Brigadier General Albert Gallatin Jenkins.
“We want to hear your voice,” Lacy Ward, of the President’s Office, said. “This is a chance for students voice to be amplified.”
The President’s committee has representatives from the student body, the Physical Plant, the President’s Office, the Board of Governors, Student Affairs, Students for a Democratic Society, Native American Student Organization, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and the History and Education Departments.
Albert Jenkins was a slave owner, and the naming of Jenkins Hall has recently sparked controversy on campus. A student brought Jenkins Hall to the attention of President Gilbert, and he created the Building Committee. The committee is also looking at all building names on campus.
Student Body President Hunter Barclay conducted a study on students’ opinions of Jenkins Hall.
There were 48 responses, and 25 students were in support of the renaming of Jenkins Hall, while 20 students were against the renaming and three students were ambivalent.
“I also included in the survey a place for suggestions of other names,” Barclay said.
The suggested names in the survey could not be released due to confidentiality.
The committee decided on a seminar with student organization representatives and graduates speaking about the renaming of Jenkins Hall.
“We understand that there are different views on Jenkins Hall,“ Christie Kinsey, of the Board of Governors, said.
Kinsey said the wide varieties of views on the renaming of Jenkins Hall are going to be represented at the seminar.
Groups invited to the seminar include the World Council, Student Government Association, Native American Student Organization, Graduate Student Organization, Fraternity and Sorority Life, political groups, College of Education organizations, Marshall Lab Alumni, other alumni and the student media organizations.
This seminar will take place on Nov. 28 at 5:30 with the location still being discussed.
Following the seminar, a survey will be released to students about each of the responses at the event. University Communications will create the survey together.
Gretchen Kalar can be contacted at [email protected].
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